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BACKGROUND

Worldwide, nearly 75 percent of emerging human infectious diseases in the past three decades are zoonotic. With increasing environmental stresses, new infectious agents are expected as the world faces the current pandemic crisis. One Water One Health Session aims to highlight planning and awareness-raising in health and well-being that recognizes the interconnections between people, animals, plants and our shared environment through 'WATER.' 

The concept of One Water, One Health, comes to address the integral concept of water as reflected in Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The focus of this 9th World Water Forum Session addresses the potential risks to human health of contaminated source water in Africa and elsewhere, where people and livestock often live in close proximity especially in the rural sub-Sahara. SDG 6 addresses sustainable, equitable access to safe, reliable water: including irrigation water, water used in food production and processing, water management practices and development, water efficiency, and the protection of aquatic ecosystems, under the umbrella of integrated water resources management. Water reuse in agriculture, chemicals and antibiotics in the environment and food supply chain and their impacts on wildlife, aquatic life and humans, and the environmental control measures needed for disease prevention is also be addressed. 

One Water One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance 

Water is critical in both agriculture and food processing, as well as in nutrition and human health. In order to solve water challenges (equity, affordability and access), a multi-sectoral approach between water, food/agriculture, ecosystems, and public health is needed. Given that resistant bacteria and genes often cross environments and species boundaries, it is also critical to understand and acknowledge the linkages between human, animal and the environment to manage antimicrobial resistance. 

Objective 

This session fosters awareness and multistakeholder dialogue that brings together the tripartite organisations namely the UN FAO, WHO, OIE and UNEP with the government, the private sector, and experts from environment, health, and WASH sectors. The event presents an opportunity to understand the multitude of water and health linkages and antimicrobial resistance from a water environment perspective, specifically the scope of the problem, sources, drivers, transmissions mechanisms, and the implications to global water security and mitigation actions.  

8:00-8:05 (GMT)

Opening Remarks, Sasha Koo-Oshima, Deputy Director, Land and Water Division, FAO

8:05-8:15

Keynote lecture, Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Chair of the Global Leaders Group (GLG) Environment Group

8:15-8-45

Panelist point of views from various sectors - 

on water pollution prevention and control: 

1. Antibiotic pollution as a driver for resistance
Joakim Larsson
Professor in Environmental Pharmacology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

2. WASH and wastewater in health services
Kate Medlicott 
Team Lead, Sanitation, Water Sanitation and Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland

3. Agriculture perspective

Marion Savill
Executive Director, Affordable Water Limited and Water, Chair, the NZ Chapter of International Water Association (IWA) and Co-Chair, IWA ASPIRE, New Zealand

4. Animal Livestock
Nigel French, 

Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Massey University, New Zealand, Chief Scientist for the New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre, Co-Director of One Health Aotearoa and Executive Director of the Infectious Disease Research Centre.  

5. Environment 
David Graham 
Professor of Ecosystems Engineering, School of Engineering, Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Moderator for Panel Session: Sasha Koo-Oshima, FAO

8:45-8:50

Q&A in chat box 
Moderator: Omar El-Hassan
Consultant, Land and Water Division, FAO

8:50-9:00

Conclusion - wrap up 
Robert Bos
Senior Consultant, Land and Water Division, FAO