WIPO GREEN and World Water Day 2018

March 22, 2018

World Water Day, celebrated yearly on March 22, focuses attention on the plight of 2.1 billion people world-wide who currently lack access to safe water. The theme of World Water Day 2018 is Nature for Water.

This year’s theme explores the use of nature-based solutions to tackle the water challenges we face in the 21st century.  This involves the use of non-artificial means to rebuild ecosystems and address water challenges – for example, planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands. WIPO GREEN recognizes and champions the critical role of innovation in addressing the water crisis. Water has been the main focus of WIPO GREEN’s matchmaking activities, and the WIPO GREEN Database features hundreds of innovative water solutions from around the world.
Water is essential to our daily lives, and ensuring access to safe water is a key factor in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty. This basic human right is highlighted by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals under SDG 6 – Access to clean water and sanitation.

Upcoming project: Clean water, energy, air, and agriculture in the Asia-Pacific region

WIPO GREEN matchmaking events are global or regional projects where providers and seekers of green technologies as well as other facilitators and experts from the WIPO GREEN network and beyond are brought together with the unique opportunity to directly make targeted matches in a face-to-face setting.

Our next matchmaking project aims to identify specific technology needs related to water, energy, air and agriculture in the Asia-Pacific region and match them with available green technology solutions from around the world.  A final matchmaking event will be organized in June/July 2018, bringing together seekers, potential providers of green technologies, selected country stakeholders, investors and experts that can support the matchmaking process and technology transfer.  For more information, please contact us.

Nature-based technologies on the WIPO GREEN Database

The WIPO GREEN Database has more than 400 innovative nature-based technologies that help to reduce pollution, promote water efficiency, and address other water-related issues.  A few examples are listed below:

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Past WIPO GREEN matchmaking events related to water: