Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Honourable committee members, allow me at the outset to express my profound gratitude, as the director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, to the people and Government of Canada for nearly three decades of supporting us. The 1996 decision to host what is known today as the “UN water think tank” is reflective of Canada's progressive and visionary thinking, yet when it comes to water, Canada has much more to offer on the world stage.
Building on its firm commitment to multilateralism and proven record of peacebuilding, Canada has an unprecedented opportunity to turn water into a pillar of its foreign policy, with significant global and national security benefits, so I encourage your committee to take these three recommendations into consideration.
Recommendation one is to make water a foreign policy priority, to use water for peacebuilding and to establish Canada as a leader in the water space. Despite its fundamental importance, water is still an orphaned child in international politics, with no UN agency that is entirely dedicated to it. This gap creates a great political and also a wonderful business opportunity for Canada, a nation that has all that is required to serve as the world's water leader. Besides being a solution provider, thanks to its solid talent pool, Canada's geography puts it in a highly unique position from the water standpoint. With access to 7% of the world's renewable water supply, Canada's identity is tied to water. The experience of dealing with the most diverse range of water management problems has equipped Canada with the expertise and reputation needed to guide and set an effective solution path for the world.
One immediate opportunity for Canada is to influence the global water action agenda, which, in addition to promoting its scientists and businesses, is hosting the next UN water conference in 2026, soon after the establishment of the Canada water agency. I also encourage Canada to consider taking the issue of water to the UN Security Council, given its peace and security implications. Canada must also consider making water an integral component of its peacekeeping missions and international development projects.
Recommendation two is to put farmers at the centre of the water agenda. No water agenda can succeed without a true appreciation of the role of farmers in managing water. Unfortunately, many national and international sustainability and climate agendas marginalize farmers and overlook their significant role in managing 70% of the global water use. These reductionist and often energy-centric policies, which ignore how investment in the water and agricultural sector benefit our fight against climate change, hunger, poor health, poverty and injustice, are doomed to fail and must be immediately revised. Robust water policies that put farmers at the centre are not vulnerable to the changes of political appetite in Ottawa or any other capital in the world. Accordingly, Canada's domestic water policies and international water leadership must promote the role of farmers and their potential to help the world mitigate its water, climate and security problems.
Recommendation three is to take advantage of the water-related UN entity that Canada hosts. The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health would not have existed without Canada's thoughtful and generous support. This institute is one of the few UN entities in the world with a water-focused mandate and can serve as the gateway that connects Canada to the UN agencies and those in need of Canada's water knowledge and technology. Canada is currently underutilizing this UN entity to promote its talents, solutions and resources.
Through systematic co-operation with the Government of Canada, based on a clear and “water wise” foreign policy, the United Nations University can do much more to ensure that Canada, its researchers, innovators, businesses, farmers, politicians and water activists get the recognition they collectively deserve, as we are cognizant of what Canada has to offer and how the world can benefit from its water leadership.