ICID, under its policy to extend its knowledge dissemination wider, conducts regular Webinar Services for its members in particular and wider irrigation and drainage community in general. The Webinar is being divided into two series, namely, ‘Professional Series’ delivered by renowned water experts with 10+ years of experience and ‘Young Professional Series’ provided by young professionals in the water sector, particularly working on agricultural water management (AWM) and other related topics.  The webinar on ‘Negotiations for Resolution of Trans-boundary Water Conflicts’ is the 9th webinar in the professional series and 11th webinar of ICID.

Introduction

Australia has faced many water challenges over the years and has needed to change the way it thinks about water in order to build resilience. In this webinar Ms Maywald addresses the policy and political changes that Australia has made, explores the need for science to enable evidence-based decision making to underpin transboundary negotiations and the impact of community behavioural change.

Ms Maywald provides an insight into the National frameworks and co-operative agreements that led to change in Australia.
While both State and Central Government politicians must accept the need for change, it is just as critical for communities to understand the benefits of change and importantly the risks of not changing. Governments that consider policy reform with infrastructure investment are more likely to deliver long term, sustainable solutions.

Ms Maywald also explains how securing infrastructure investment through Basin Planning creates water security which becomes an economic enabler of prosperity by creating confidence for long term investment by governments, irrigators and the private sector.