Mai-Lan Ha, Pacific Institute/CEO Water Mandate

What are your expectations for the Zaragoza Conference for helping in the implementation of the water related SDGs?

The Zaragoza conference provides a unique platform for the different sectors, public, private, civil society, and academia to share concrete practices that they are undertaking to help meet water related SDGs. The conference’s focus on tools and guidance will help give all actors a more concrete idea of how we can move the agenda forward. Hopefully through sharing experiences and ideas, actors in the different sectors will be able to better understand the approaches their counterparts are undertaking and new working relationships and partnerships may form to tackle water related SDGs.

What are the main challenges for implementing sustainable water for all?

Though we all recognize that water is vital to all our wellbeing, the challenges of water vary from location to location. Effectively tackling the water challenge holistically while ensuring that the particular context and needs of individuals are taken into account is difficult to do. There is no one-size-fits all approach and that makes the solutions tricky.

What would you like to highlight about what your organisation is doing to achieve the water and sanitation targets?

The CEO Water Mandate and the Pacific Institute have been working for years on a variety of water-related issues. The Mandate focuses on engaging and mobilizing the private sector to act as change leaders on water, providing a platform for businesses to share best and emerging practice around water sustainability and to work in partnerships with others on water. The Pacific Institute focuses on using sound science to drive policy solutions around water. We’ve been a champion of thinking about water differently through promotion of the ‘soft path on water’ and very early on championing the recognition of the human right.