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In order to achieve the integrated management of rivers, wetlands must be taken into account. Local authorities have understood this well. Sustainable management, acquisition and conservation policies are becoming more common on a national level. This is because wetlands play an important role in terms of biodiversity and water requirements, and due to their socioeconomic value. These are examples to be discovered and followed.

After The Hague in 2000, Kyoto in 2003, Mexico City in 2006 and Istanbul in 2009, the World Water Forum will be in Marseille from 12 to 17 March 2012.
The water agencies are mobilising and supporting events aiming to promote concrete actions by March 2012. Objectives include encouraging local and regional authorities to sign the Istanbul Water Consensus and to commit to decentralised cooperation actions.

The water agencies and the National Office for Water and the Aquatic Environment (ONEMA) are unveiling the second component of their national information campaign for local authorities. Since the spring of 2011, the restoration of rivers has been the new area of focus. Launched in November 2010, this awareness-raising campaign, based on testimonials from elected officials, aims to foster the emergence of the processes and projects required to achieve good water status in our rivers, lakes, water tables and coastal regions by 2015.

Throughout France, local and regional authorities have successfully initiated action programmes to restore rivers. A key challenge in the process of achieving good water status, the restoration of waterways offers many benefits: developing biodiversity, improving the river’s natural flow, flood management, ecological continuity, and more. The examples presented should be multiplied in the coming years.

Action programmes for the protection of drinking water catchment basins have been instituted by local and regional authorities to reduce pollution at the source, reduce the use of pesticides, limit the use of fertilizer, avoid bare land after harvest, etc. These examples are worth following.