SASUF Satellite Events 2024

2-DAY EVENT, 13th and 14th of May.

Possible to join virtually 13th of May: https://mau-se.zoom.us/j/63959245645 

This satellite event highlights the supply of clean water and the value of efficient and effective water management in the global north and global south contexts of Sweden and South Africa. We locate the event by linking it to Climate change and Climate action, developing and furthering our discussions around Sustainable Development Goal 6 ( clean water and sanitation for all) and goal 13 on climate action ( to limit and adapt to climate change). Goal 6 is built on the recognition that access to clean water and adequate sanitation is essential for human well-being, public health, and the overall sustainability of the planet.

We will unpack across the event, the significance of aquatic ecosystems which are sentinels of global and local change, and we highlight recent studies in aquatic science that have demonstrated disturbing evidence of their collective degradation in terms of depletion of resources (water and food), rapid warming and loss of ice, destruction of habitats and ecosystems, loss of species, and accelerating pollution. In many countries, there are decades of degradation of aquatic ecosystems which have resulted in major challenges for their restoration and management in addition to leaving a legacy of ecological and economic costs for future generations. Therefore, this satellite event highlights the value of water supply and management for sustainable living: lives and livelihoods. Furthermore, the satellite event also discusses the use of emerging digital technologies such as smart aquatic and bio-inspired sensors and networking, for performing accurate data collection, for predicting and long term sustainability studies of aquatic ecosystems. A case study of the use of emerging technologies for monitoring and preservation of an aquatic ecosystem, at Lake Tana, will be presented. 


We extrapolate from evidence linked to the floods of 2022 in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa and floods resulting in high sea level locations in southern Sweden : 2 different contexts but both in need of innovative measures to treat and effectively manage water supply for locals so that lives and livelihoods are not at risk. We include a creative entrepreneurial endeavor of a water treatment system with the potential for development across country contexts. Examples of how to improve the treatment of wastewater and effective water management will be discussed by different stakeholders, given the impacts of Climate Change in different north-south contexts such as informal settlements and housing estates in the global south as well as bio-treatments plants in the global north in Sweden.

13th of May at Malmö University

Room F314 Orkanen, Third floor Check zoom link: https://mau-se.zoom.us/j/63959245645  (also in field video stream)

Morning session, 9-12.

1.Seminar presentation of the literature and case study contexts of SA and Sweden with Climate Change impacts and effects on clean water supply – highlighting the challenges (Prof. Manik and Prof. Ekelund).
Ethekwini Municipality’s battle to provide clean water to residents in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa after the floods of 2022 - Julius Kleinhans, WaterCAN and  to provide the clean water challenge in the southern context.

Sweden:
Clara Hermansson - Alnarp CleanWater - Wastewater treatment using bio-purification plants based on natural processes.

Malmö university, Faculty of Technology and Society: Dr. Fisseha Mekuria, Emerging Digital Technologies for monitoring and sustainable development of aquatic freshwater ecosystems.

Question and Answer Session

Lunch 12-13

After lunch:

2. Panel Discussion and Film streaming:
- UNESCO chair of Water-Prof Petri Juuti and colleague Riikka Juuti to present on Avenues for achieving Sustainable Water Solutions in north south contexts- addressing the challenges through innovation.

- Film-Dr Romila Verma (University of Toronto, Canada, School of Environment will draw on her Award winning Film on “Water be damned” for the discussion joined by Prof Tejbir Rana (University of Delhi, India) to highlight the challenges in clean water supply in Africa drawing from the cross continental water project.

- Joint discussion on the way forward to start a pilot action programme within 6 months using north-south expertise from SASUF and public/ private partnerships and response to Formas Funding Call on Water4All 2023 for Joint Transnational “Ecosystem Services”.

Involving new partners and partners from the SASUF workshop - SDGs, urbanization and ecosystem services in a context of North-South collaboration: Experiences from Sweden and South Africa.

Question and Answer Session

14th of May
Two guided tours for maximum 25 persons. Please register to nils.ekelund@mau.se for attending the guided tours.

First tour
Meeting at 08.15 outside Niagara for a guided tour at 08.30. The tour is a walking tour in an area called Bo01 (see link https://greenroof.se/malmo/).
This is a rather new area close to the sea and where the city has planned the living for people in a sustainable way. 
Second tour
After lunch at 13 we will have a guided tour from Naturum and we will meet outside Niagara at 13.

This tour will show how the city has changed the sea level in the harbor in order increase the biodiversity within in the water.

The tour is organized by Naturrum Öresund (https://www.naturumoresund.se/en/omnaturumoresund).
Naturum Öresund, want to contribute to an increased awareness of the sea by inspiring natural experiences aiming to arouse curiosity about the sea and the spreading of knowledge about its crucial importance for life on our planet.

Keywords: SDG6, wastewater, water management, clean water, floods