Canadian Youth Head to Bali for World's Largest Water Forum

Government officials, heads of state, scholars, and international organizations are gathering in Bali this month for the 10th annual World Water Forum—and will be joined by two Canadian youths.

These young academics will convene with global water experts to share ideas and research on how water resources can be made available to everyone.

Emily Kroft is an award-winning Youth Engagement and Water Policy Officer. She runs the IISD Next program, which includes a campus workshop series on sustainability that is attended virtually by hundreds of students all over the world. Emily will share research from the IISD Experimental Lakes Area in two separate presentations at the event.

“Water sustainability and freshwater policy are pressing global issues right now,” says Emily. “With the impacts of climate change, water policy work and research are more important than ever. We need to think both regionally and internationally when it comes to solutions.”

One of the IISD Next students, Alyssa D’Addio, is joining Emily at the World Water Forum, where she will be attending the World Youth Parliament for Water General Assembly. Travelling this weekend to Bali from Mississauga, she's excited to join other youth from around the world to discuss water policy and protecting freshwater resources.

“I’m hoping to learn more about community-driven solutions being mobilized to address issues like water scarcity, pollution, and conservation,” says Alyssa. “I’m especially eager to deepen my understanding of complex issues prevalent in different socio-political contexts, such as how water challenges give rise to and intensify conflicts and insecurity.”

Alyssa credits the IISD Next workshop series for helping her learn more about global issues surrounding water and how science can form a basis for policy-level decision making about freshwater resources. IISD Next is made possible in part thanks to Wawanesa Insurance, who is also sponsoring this student’s attendance at the forum.

Media Contact

Brittney Le Blanc, Communications Officer, Water, IISD: [email protected]

More about IISD Next

IISD Next is an initiative that works with hundreds of students and youth advocates all over the world to ensure the next generation of leaders has an in-depth understanding of policy topics related to sustainable development, along with the tools they need to engage with various levels of governance. The workshop series provides training and insight into how youth can more effectively engage with government policy and work toward concrete change, as well as deep dives into the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, among other crucial climate issues.