The overall scope of activities to be undertaken by the proposed centre are as follows:
1.foster scientific coordination and exchange of information among different organizations involved in sustainable water resources management and the development of adaptation strategies due to climate change in collaboration with partner institutions in Serbia and in South-East Europe;
2. disseminate, generate and provide scientific and technical information on water resources management issues for the formulation of sound policies leading to sustainable and integrated water resources management at the local, national, regional and global levels;
3. evaluate implications of global change and develop adaptation strategies through the design of new indicators;
4. promote development of regional research programs, linking with regional and global initiatives, particularly focusing on the problem of sustainable water resources management under climate change conditions, within the framework of the relevant ongoing UNESCO initiatives, in particular the International Hydrological Program (IHP), Water Chairs and Centres;
5. undertake effective capacity-building activities at institutional and professional levels to enhance human and institutional capacity in assessing the global change impact on water resources management by using advanced methods and technologies including indicators;
6. organize an awareness raising programme for various audiences like policy-makers and the general public at the national and regional level on the adaptation strategies to climate change an impact on sustainable water resources management;
7.disseminate results of research undertaken through seminars, workshops, training courses, conferences and periodic publications to the wider scientific community and IHP networks.
An international conference titled “Contemporary Issues of Adaptive Water Management” was held in Belgrade on 31 October 2012 under the auspices of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, in order to mark UNESCO’s approval of the establishment of a Category 2 Centre (“Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change”) under its auspices at the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute in Belgrade. The conference was attended by many domestic and international scientists, as well as representatives from international organizations: UNESCO, UNDP, IWA and IAWD.
UNESCO’s Director-General Irina Bokova and Serbian Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development, Žarko Obradović, signed on April 24th 2013, in Paris, an agreement on founding a UNESCO Centre for Water Sustainable Development and Climate Change within the Belgrade based Jaroslav Černi Water Institute.
The „Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change” Centre, which operates within the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, is playing an important role in Southeastern Europe. The Centre promotes expert cooperation and exchange of information between different organisations involved in sustainable water resources management. The Centre performs these activities as a part of the relevant on-going UNESCO initiatives, particularly the International Hydrological Programme – IHP.