The meeting held in Bogota in May 2015 marked a significant milestone for the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) Member Countries. During this event, the countries came together to formulate a Shared Vision for the Integrated and Sustainable Management of Transboundary Water Resources in the Amazon Basin, with a specific focus on addressing Climate Variability and Change. This vision was crafted through a collaborative process that involved the identification of common priority issues and the envisioning of future development scenarios for the region.

One of the key elements in shaping this Shared Vision was an extensive public opinion survey conducted across the Amazon Region. More than 8,200 questionnaires were distributed to various stakeholders, including local communities, indigenous groups, governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and scientific institutions. This survey provided valuable insights into the perceptions of the Amazonian population and offered a comprehensive understanding of the socioeconomic, political, and environmental conditions prevailing in the Amazon Basin.

The outcomes of the public opinion survey played a pivotal role in guiding the formulation of both national visions and the overarching Shared Regional Vision for the sustainable management of water resources in the Amazon. Moreover, the survey findings informed the delineation of the objectives outlined in the Strategic Action Program (SAP), setting a clear trajectory for collective action towards the preservation and sustainable utilization of the Amazon Basin’s precious water resources.

Water resources are strategic for the balanced and sustainable development of the peoples of the Amazon River Basin. These resources are subject to protection and conservation for their multiple uses with the purpose of improving the quality of life* of present and future generations, respecting the ethnic and cultural diversity and the sovereignty of the Member Countries. The integrated management of water resources is made feasible by means of participatory management, exchange of information, research, implementation of actions to adapt to climate variability and change, through regional cooperation and the support of adequate institutions.

* Good Living / wellbeing in harmony with Mother Earth is a concept recognized by some Amazonian countries.