Faced with the new pattern of natural-social water circulation, GWP China can promptly put forward the concept of “ecological sponge river basins”, which means that we take the mountains, waters, forests, lands and lakes as a whole life community, take all the natural ecological elements into consideration and clarify the relation between the top and foot of mountains, between the surface and underground, and between the upstream and downstream, to have overall protection, systematic restoration, comprehensive control and rational development of river basins. In this way, we can strengthen the cycling capability of ecosystems and promote sponge river basins to spontaneously store, permeate and purify precipitation. Besides, we can minimize the damage to the ecological environment in water and land resources development and minimize the influence of water disasters on economic and social development to preserve sound river basins and the harmony between humans and water.
By pursuing the vision of water security, the whole GWP Work Programme contributes to achieving the SDGs. In order to deepen and streamline these efforts at country level, GWP is developing a specific “SDG & Water Preparedness Facility”. This SDG Water-PF will support specific efforts on understanding, monitoring and financing the implications of the new SDG framework in a selected set of countries during the period 2016-2019. It will complement other efforts undertaken by GWP in these countries. China is one of member countries that will implement “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDG). GWP China is in charge of SDG #6 implementation in China.
Based upon the regular communication with international circles, extensive liaisons with water-related organizations and professionals in China, and effective domestic and international network of partners, GWP China will play as a platform and facilitator that provides practical support for a rapid start to implementing SDG 6 on water and other water-related SDGs in Shaanxi and Hunan Provinces. Through the activities under the programme, GWP China, together with GWP China Shaanxi and Hunan, manages to provide supports and guidance to the stakeholders and decision-makers to formulate and implement policies, strategies and plans for the SDG6 and related goals framework in China. Furthermore, the programme will raise the awareness and importance of water and sanitation issues in China.