Upon request from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), DHI Water & Environment, UNEP, and Danida have recently made a two year agreement on the establishment of a "UNEP Collaborating Centre on Water and Environment" at DHI.
The purpose of the Centre is to support UNEP in the implementation of its water policy, which are focusing on the environmental aspects of the management of fresh water resources and the marine environment.
UNEP implements the main part of these activities through global programmes such as the Global International Waters Assessment (GIWA) and the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Sea against Land-based Sources of Pollution (GPA). Both programmes comprise evaluation of problems and frameworks for solution for water management and mitigation of pollution, at national level and in areas where more countries are sharing the same water resources or sea area (e.g. the Black Sea, Lake Victoria, the Mekong River, the Nile etc.). Thus, the Centre shall support and represent UNEP e.g. in its dialogue with the countries, implementation of studies, formulation of guidelines, and the convening of workshops leading to the formulation of concrete measures and actions.
An initial pilot phase is already ongoing in which DHI assists the countries around the Senegal River through evaluations and workshops to identify how the water and environment management in the delta area of the Senegal River can best be co-ordinated.
The UNEP-DHI Centre is being established in Hørsholm, Denmark, initially with a permanent staff of 3-4. The Centre is directed by a Steering Committee comprising management representatives from Danida, DHI, and UNEP, the institutions funding the Centre at a ratio of 70-18-12%. DHI is represented by Prof. Torkil Jønch-Clausen, Director International Centres (+45 4516 9208, tjc@dhi.dk).
The daily operations of the Centre is managed by Mr. Niels Henrik Ipsen, Head of Centre (+45 4516 9518, nhi@dhi.dk).
See "Ingeniøren net" for Danish Article