Cofunded by the European Union

Pillar A focuses activities on the development of the thematic strategy of the Partnership and the implementation of appropriate communication and dissemination tools for the wide outreach of results. Outputs from Pillar A are meant to inform activities within other Pillars; hence, it has been conceived as the strategic backbone of the Partnership.

Efforts within Pillar A will lead, amongst others, to the update of the Water4All’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which sets out topics that should be addressed through research and innovation for securing water for all.

The specific objectives of Pillar A are:

  • To set up a methodological approach for the review of the Water4All’s SRIA building upon consensus, inclusiveness, a permanent dialogue with partners and a wide variety of stakeholders, a foresight exercise, and an impact analysis of previous water research and innovation activities.
  • To deliver and manage tools to improve the visibility of activities and proposed solutions.
  • To identify areas of synergies, and possible activities, with other water related initiatives as a way to maximise the overall impact of activities and enhance the critical mass of the programme.

Efforts within Pillar A will lead to:

  • Development and uptake of the Water4All’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which sets out the water topics that should be addressed through different research and innovation activities for securing water for all.
  • Delivery of tools for the global outreach of activities and the dissemination of results to relevant end-users e.g. water management authorities, market sector.
  • Identification of thematic synergies with other running, or upcoming, water-related initiatives, including other Horizon Europe Partnerships, Missions or Articles 185.
  • Production of a mapping exercise of water research and innovation programmes in Europe and abroad.
  • A better understanding of the influence of Water4All in the development of water policies in each of the countries participating in the programme.
  • Structure and objectives

    The Pillar A structure is divided in 3 tasks:

    1. Task A.1. Developing and updating the SRIA (link to the SRIA page and or pdf) of the Partnership.
    2. Task A.2. Alignment and Coordination of RDI (Research, Development & Innovation) programmes and actions in the field of water.
    3. Task A.3. Raising awareness about Partnership outputs (communication & dissemination activities).

    To this end, the specific objectives of Pillar A are:

    • To ensure a permanent dialogue with all partners, a wide variety of stakeholders and Water4All Advisory Boards on water RDI needs, gaps, priorities, trends, drivers and enablers.
    • To identify areas of synergies, and possible activities, with other water related initiatives (to maximise the overall impact of activities and enhance the critical mass of the programme).
    • To deliver and manage tools to improve the visibility of activities and proposed solutions.

    Specific actions planned to achieve the objectives

    Update of the Water4All’s SRIA

    • Evolving policy contexts, the occurrence of hydrological extreme events, new sanitary challenges and the loss of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems result in new water research and innovation gaps. Hence, Pillar A will carry out an update of the Water4All’s SRIA that will be completed by the end of 2025. To this end, Pillar A partners have built a participatory process based upon the organisation of two stakeholders consultative workshops, an open consultation, and a foresight exercise in which experts will be invited to propose possible scenarios for water in the light of the current and future environmental, socioeconomic and policy contexts. The process will be completed by a mapping exercise of national research and innovation priorities and an impact analysis in which key topics insufficiently understood for addressing the grand challenge of water for all will be teased out.

    Development of annual implementation plans

    • Water research and innovation players, and citizens in general, can consult Water4All’s annual implementation plans to have a better understanding of the activities of the Partnership, in particular as regards: (a) thematic activities to be launched e.g., calls for projects, knowledge hubs, TAP, etc.; (b) time planning of activities; and, (c) the efforts to be deployed.

    Identification of synergies with other European and international initiatives

    • Water is an area of interest of numerous European and international initiatives such as the Article 185 PRIMA programme, the Belmont Forum, other Horizon Europe Partnerships e.g. Biodiversity or BluEconomy, Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs) and Horizon Europe Missions. Water4All will ensure permanent dialogue with these initiatives in order to avoid redundancies or the duplication of financial and human efforts. For this purpose, Pillar A will promote the participation of Water4All in relevant strategic meetings, international conferences and policy dialogues. Discussions with representatives of these initiatives will inform Pillar A partners in the development process of annual implementation plans.

    Development and launch of Water4All’s communication and dissemination tools

    • Communication and dissemination activities are key in raising awareness, engaging all possible actors in the water research and innovation domain, exchanging information and knowledge on best practices and solutions, and promoting the policy and market uptake of Water4All’s results. Pillar A partners have agreed on a Communication and Dissemination Plan that will be updated if necessary to increase the overall outreach of Water4All. Water4All seizes the opportunities provided by social networks to widely communicate on latest developments.

Attachement

The Water4All Partnership - Water Security for the Planet - is a funding programme for scientific research in freshwater. It aims to tackle water challenges to face climate change, help to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and boost the EU’s competitiveness and growth.

It is co-funded by the European Union within the frame of the Horizon Europe programme (a key funding programme for research and innovation). The Partnership duration is for seven years from 2022.

The Water4All objective is to enable water security at a large scale and in the long term. Its goal is also to tackle water issues in a holistic frame. 

All forms of life on earth need water. All human activities operate with this resource. Water is part of our everyday life. It is also integrated within urban and countryside landscapes. It is one of the most valuable elements we share with plants and animals.

These simple facts must be kept in mind to understand the Water4All ambition.

This resource is weakened in many places due to climate changes, and human habits. We know that we can improve the way we use water. Everyone has a role to play and especially the scientific research community.

Scientific research is the heart of the Partnership as It is a powerful tool to improve knowledge on preserving, restoring, and managing this essential resource. 

International cooperation is also needed as water has no borders on Earth and runs from one country to another.

Water4All brings together a broad and cohesive group of 90 partners from 33 countries in the European Union and beyond. This consortium gathers partners from the whole water Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) chain.