Water pollution and water scarcity continue to be major problems in the Eastern Partnership countries. The availability of accurate and reliable up-to-date data on water is essential to ensure sustainable water management in the countries and such data are in high demand for water diplomacy and security in the region.

The ENI SEIS II East project has provided technical and financial support to Azerbaijan for developing the water component as the starting point of its environmental EcoPortal. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan will use the EcoPortal as a common platform for sharing data, information, various reports and other information on water resources management in Azerbaijan among water agencies and with the public. This platform serves as a hub for the national water agencies by facilitating data and information exchange and displaying indicators, reports, publications and visual materials, e.g. interactive charts, thematic map viewers and data download options for external users. In addition, citizens will be able to access information via this platform on the development of national water policy, cross-cutting topics such as climate change impacts on water, the country’s regional and international agreements and conventions, and information on the state of water resources.

The EcoPortal’s development is based on the new information technologies and methodologies used in EEA member countries, including a flexible content management system. It presents various types of information and water data, which are intended to support knowledge-based policymaking in Azerbaijan.

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources is working on developing knowledge-based decision-making processes for water, particularly to deal with acute and chronic water scarcity in the country. The Water Information System will serve as a knowledge hub for decision-makers to support the necessary data and information on water resources. The EcoPortal’s functionalities have been designed to facilitate effective implementation of the SEIS principles, currently in the area of water and might be expanded to other environmental domains in future.