How do we move from ideas to action? – the role of the HELP programme

An overview of the integrated water resources management (IWRM) process is provided as well as an outline of the Hydrology, Environment, Life, and Policy (HELP) programme's actions over the next 5 years as a follow-up to the recommendations of the Kalmar Symposium of 2002. Most of HELP's implementation, however, will be within the HELP basins themselves, which is consistent with the 'bottom-up' approach of the programme. HELP's niche in contributing to the IWRM process is by defining knowledge gaps and acting via a global network of basins. Through the involvement and support of stakeholders, longer-term visionary values of research with subsequent benefits to society may be more quickly realized.