Project: Empowered River Dependent Communities Monitor and Report Polluting Industries
Summary:
Community members using river water for drinking, cooking, irrigation, and fishing feel powerless regarding the quality of water on which they depend. They cannot hold the factories polluting their river accountable for deteriorating their livelihood. If only they were able to share their observations with institutions that are able to act, ideally based on sound data collection (water quality assessments via the water risk filter - https://waterriskfilter.panda.org).
This project works to empower local communities to share their knowledge on the quality of the water they depend on and provide authorities/NGOs with the information to address the main polluters. If the follow-up is effective, the local communities benefit from better water quality and reduced vulnerability to the effects of climate change, making their livelihoods more resilient.
Sustainable Development Goals:
Clean Water and Sanitation
Life Below Water
Good Health and Well-Being
Partnerships for the Goals
Skills & Resources Needed:
Although a possible solution to the problem statement is to develop a Smartphone app, there might be other options - this project needs feedback on the way to connect to (the knowledge of) local communities: a social expert.
If the app turns out to be the way to go, insights into the development/design/distribution would be valuable. This project is seeking input from a back end engineer, front end developer, and graphic designers (to get an intuitive, user-friendly app). People with expertise in (the use of) similar apps would be very helpful, to learn from their experiences.
If it proves wise to combine reporting with easy to use water quality assessment tools (citizen science), this project seeks support on that aspect as well.
Post-Capsule Goals:
Incubator Program
University Partnership or Collaboration
Project Motivation:
For a future in which people and nature live in harmony (the mission of my life!), we need big steps. River water pollution is a big issue in large parts of the world and concerns the freshwater we all depend on. Climate change will worsen this: in dry periods the toxic elements become more concentrated, affecting people and nature alike. A problem caused by the richest, consumed by the poorest people of the planet!
WWF has decades of experience working with the private sector to tackle water quality and quantity issues, among others via water stewardship and the water risk filter (https://waterriskfilter.panda.org). Despite all this experience, I doubt whether we work with the right industries, meaning the most relevant for local communities/the most polluting ones. So, I am determined to find a solution, connecting local communities and river shore industries, to give the local people a voice and support them to mobilize the companies that drive the change we need.
Team Members:
Daphne Willems, Project Lead
Lila Sainz
Marcela Anez
Paul van Damme