EMWIS Flash N°66, January 2009
Released | 19/01/2009 |
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EMWIS Flash -
December 2008/ January 2009 |
- EMWIS wish you a happy new year 2009 -
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In this issue N°65/66 (http://www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash66)
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HEADLINE
1-
Ministerial Conference on Water: an ambitious calendar for 2009
IN BRIEF
2- The
Mediterranean at the 5th World Water Forum
3- The WWC and the EMWIS signed a partnership agreement
4- ARLEM brings together local authorities from northern and southern Mediterranean
5- The MEDA Water Programme Substantially boosted Regional Cooperation in Water
Management
6- Horizon 2020 Capacity Building Sub-Group Meeting
7-
The UN General Assembly adopted the draft articles
for law on transboundary aquifers
8-
Top UN Leader Calls for Creation of the Right to Water
9- The First Arab Water Forum
mobilized arab water stakeholders
to address water challenges
10-
Arab Countries need $200 billion in water-related infrastructure
11- The pan-African ministerial conference pledged to eradicate hunger & poverty
in Africa
12- Egypt, Israel voice support for Red-Dead canal project
13-
Tunisia: Maghreb project on oases development launched
14-
Morocco: AfDB Approved 10th Drinking Water Supply Project
15-
Morocco: Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture
16- Palestine: Water supply
& sewage system "collapsing" in Gaza
17-
Turkey: Royal Haskoning wins large irrigation project
18-
France: Cemagref & Onema unite their efforts
19-
Greece: EC takes legal action over lack of waste water treatment, waste landfill
problems
20- Cyprus: Varying Water Prices
21- Germany:
Iron as a new water "pollutant" in Central Germany
22- EC approves proposed acquisition of Hägglunds Drives by Robert Bosch
23- Establishing Network on Water Stress Mitigation
24- ESA Starts to Make Data Available for GMES
25- Earth Observation: spotlight on important projects - e-SOTER
26- Network links researchers in Middle East and Europe
NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
PUBLICATIONS
CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
CALL FOR PAPERS
TRAINING
EVENTS
BRIEF EMWIS SITE MAP
CONTACT US / COMMENTS
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HEADLINE
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1-
The guidelines for the development of a
Strategy for Water in the Mediterranean, permitting the challenges of climate
change and its impacts to be met and tackled, were adopted at
the Ministerial Conference on Water held in Jordan on December 22. This
Strategy will make it possible to handle problems exceeding the means of
action of any single country or organisation. The Ministers, according to
the press release on the meeting, “drew the attention of governance bodies
of the Union for the Mediterranean, in view of the rapid development of new
equipment projects in the domain of water, consistent with the Strategy.
From this perspective, an initial list of potential projects has already
been identified and will be discussed as from January 2009…“. The ‘major
contribution’ of civil society partners, who met on December 21, was also
commended by the Ministers in the 8-page Declaration adopted. The planning
is very ambitious with the 1st projects to be launched by the end
of 2009 and the strategy to be adopted during the 1st semester
2010. In 2009, the main steps are as follow:
-
January 2009: nomination of the national water experts ("composed of governments designated representatives of national authorities in charge of water policy of Euro-Mediterranean countries having the capacity to take decisions (e.g. Water Directors)")
-
March 2009, during the World Water Forum in Istanbul,
- 1st meeting of the water experts group of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) to prepare the Med water Strategy and select a first set of 3 to 5 projects
- High level political round table opened to the civil society to contribute to the Med water Strategy
- Side events to present potential projects -
End March 2009, Ministerial conference on Sustainable Development of the UfM, planned in Monaco to approve projects that should start in 2009
-
End 2009, second meeting of the water experts group to finalise the strategy and prepare a 2nd list of projects.
Further information on
EMWIS website. See also
EMWIS link.
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2-
During the 5th World Water Forum to be held in Istanbul, 15-22 March 2009,
the Mediterranean area will feature in numerous sessions with a large number of
expected contributions for the future regional water strategy. In addition to
the special sessions dedicated to water issues in the Union for the
Mediterranean (see headlines), three regional and sub-regional processes will
cover the full diversity of the region: the Mediterranean as such, the MENA/Arab
countries and the in/around Turkey. From the point of view of knowledge and data
sharing, the theme 6 on “Education, Knowledge and Capacity Development” will be
of particular relevance for the EMWIS community.
Further information on
EMWIS website.
3- The World Water Council (WWC)
and the Euro-Mediterranean Information System on know-how in the Water sector (EMWIS)
agreed last 16th December to collaborate for improving the collection and
dissemination of information and documentation on observation, monitoring and
evaluation processes related to the water sector within their respective
partnerships. This 4 years agreement
(2008-2012) includes in particular collaboration on the Water Monitoring
Alliance of the WWC based on EMWIS activities relatives to water information
systems and the promotion of regional water observation mechanism concept and
the process developed by the EMWIS as a best practice initiative for possible
duplication in other regions, notably in the framework of the World Water Forum
in Istanbul in 2009. Further information on
EMWIS website.
4- The Assembly of Mediterranean regions and cities
(ARLEM) is expected to be inaugurated officially next May in Brussels . This new
organization, which operates on the model of the Euro-Mediterranean
Parliamentary Assembly to involve the local authorities in projects run by the
Union for the Mediterranean. The city of Barcelona (Spain) has been chosen to
host the headquarters of the political secretariat of the ARLEM. Further
information on
EMWIS website
5- The MEDA Water Programme has given an enormous boost to regional
cooperation between different actors in the field of water management, says its
technical coordinator Gert Soer, replying to questions from the EuroMed Info
Centre. Thanks to this Programme, funded by
EuropeAid's Regional Programme, "governments have started reevaluating local
water management and placed it higher on their development agendas." The MEDA
Water Programme was executed by 69 different organizations in participating
countries, 20 NGOs, 23 universities, 16 research institutes and 9 government
agencies. As for how it has benefited citizens in the Mediterranean in the six
years it has been operating, Gert Soer gives some examples: "Through increase of
water supply, solution of rural sanitation problems, improvement of agricultural
outputs and a more effective spending of government money directed at solving
problems of the rural population." Further information on
EMWIS website.
6- The Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises
participated to the Horizon 2020 Capacity Building Sub-Group Meeting which took
place in Rome on December 9th 2008. This meeting was organised by the European
Commission within the Initiative Horizon 2020 and aimed at drafting a road map
relating to the work programme adopted at Barcelona concerning the three
priority areas: industrial emission, municipal waste and urban waste water. For
Horizon 2020, the focus should be on measures directly related to the aim of
de-pollution with a particular attention to measures linked to pollution
reduction projects or monitoring. Capacity building should be implemented
through institutions, organisations or networks active in the Mediterranean. A
core group was identified for the drafting of the work programme.
It includes: BUSINESSMED, UNEP/MAP,
CP/RAC and MIO. Further information on
EMWIS website.
7- A draft resolution following the recommendation of the
International Law Commission (ILC)
was submitted to the General Assembly of the UN, and was adopted on11
December 2008. It is Resolution A/RES/63/124. The draft articles are
intended to offer States a framework for their agreements on transboundary
aquifers. They are divided into four parts: Introduction, General principles,
Protection, preservation and management, Miscellaneous provisions. The text is
available at
http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/reports/2008/2008report.htm (Chapter
Shared Natural Resources, in all UN languages). Further information on
EMWIS website
8- United Nations General Assembly President, Miguel d'Escoto
Brockmann, called on countries to establish the right to water for their people
on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This
historic call is being met with praise from Maude Barlow, a leading water rights
advocate and expert. To protect the right to water, governments must adopt
measures to restrain practices that deny equal access to water, pollute source
water, or unsustainably extract water resources. Further information on
EMWIS website.
9- The 1st Arab Water Forum (AWF) was held in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), in conjunction with two
other big events: the 3rd International Conference on Water Resources and Arid
Environments, and the awards ceremony of the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz
International Prize for Water. The
Arab Water Council (AWC) is set to organize Arab Water Forums (AWF) every
three years prior to the World Water Forums to become the most important
inclusive water-related event at the regional level. The objective of the AWFs
is to mobilize all water stakeholders in the region, to identify priorities of
water-related issues and define solutions that can successfully address regional
and country specific water challenges. On the other hand, the AWF focussed on
presenting and discussing the progress of the MENA/Arab Region’s preparatory
processes towards the 5th World Water Forum (WWF5), for which the AWC acts as the regional coordinator.
The Water Demand Initiative for the Middle East and North Africa (WaDImena)
presented progress and findings of its applied research and pilot projects at
the AWF. Further
information on
EMWIS website.
See also this
EMWIS link.
10- The
Islamic Development Bank (IDB) estimates that Arab countries may need to
invest up to $200 billion in water-related infrastructure over the next ten
years, in order to meet the rapidly growing demand for water and sanitation
services. An estimated 50 million people lack access to safe drinking water in
the Arab world and 97 million lack access to adequate sanitation. IDB sees a
greater role for the private sector in meeting demand for water and sanitation
infrastructure services over the next decade. To date, IDB has provided more
than $2.5 billion of assistance in the water sector to its 56 member countries.
IDB is a founding member of the Cairo-based Arab Water Council and the
Arab Water Academy. Further information on
EMWIS website. See also
EMWIS link.
11- In a final Declaration, the conference, on Water for Energy and
Agriculture in Africa: the Challenges of Climate Change (held
last 15-17 December 2008 in Sirte, Libya), noted that water is a key
resource to economic and social development as well as to hunger and poverty
eradication in Africa, and that food and energy security are prerequisites for
the development of Africa's human capital. The Conference, which brought
together ministers from 53 African countries, also recognised that the
challenges faced by the continent concerning food security, achieving the
Millennium Development Goals, increased energy demand and combating climate
change required all countries to move together. On climate change, which is said
will likely have a severe impact across Africa, the conference agreed to foster
research and development of renewable energy and agriculture in Africa in order
to increase resilience and adaptation to climate change. In conclusion, the
conference also welcomed a proposal by FAO to convene a World Summit of Heads of
State and Government in 2009 to agree on the rapid and definitive eradication of
hunger from the planet through improved governance of world food security and by
finding $30 billion a year to invest in water and rural infrastructures and in
increasing agricultural productivity in the developing world. Further information on
EMWIS website.
12- During
the Ministerial conference held in the Dead Sea last 22nd December, Egypt and Israel
voiced support for the Red-Dead canal project, which seeks to address Jordan's
water and energy challenges. Several
countries have contributed $15 million for the multipurpose Red-Dead canal
project's feasibility study and environmental assessment. French company Coyne
et Bellier is currently carrying out the feasibility study for the project,
while the British firm Environmental Resources Management is undertaking the
environmental assessment. The study is
also including the assessment of alternative solutions. The project is expected to provide Jordan with 500
million cubic metres (mcm) of water annually. The Red-Dead canal project is part
of international efforts to save the Dead Sea, which has been shrinking at the
rate of one metre per year, largely due to the diversion of water from the
Jordan River for agricultural and industrial use. If implemented, it would
involve the construction of a pipeline that would pump around two billion cubic
metres of water from the Red Sea to a desalination unit near the Dead Sea. Half
the amount will be desalinated, supplying the main urban centres of Jordan and
the West Bank, while the rest would be channelled to the Dead Sea. The second
stage of the around $4.35 billion project would involve taking advantage of the
natural slope between the Red Sea level in Aqaba and that of the Dead Sea (400
metres below sea level) to produce hydroelectricity. Further information on
EMWIS website.
13- A project on oases development in the countries of the
Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) has been launched. This project aims to promote the
skills of civil society in the oasis in order to participate in the process of
sustainable development of oases and, through the implementation of projects for
the sustainable management of seeds, the creation of farming and development of
unused land, in addition to sustainable water management. Further information on
EMWIS website
14- The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved US$ 97.2 million (33.84
million Euros and 53.34 million dollars) loan to finance Morocco's 10th Drinking
Water Supply Project, bringing the Bank Group's overall commitment in the
country to US$ 5.64 billion for 93 operations since the Bank started operations
in the country in 1970. The project will enhance and improve the quantity and
quality of water supply for approximately three (3) million people as from 2010
and enable the National Drinking Water Authority (ONEP), as producer and
distributor, and the autonomous state-owned companies as distributors, to meet
the demand of the inhabitants of the area that are projected to reach five (5)
million by 2030. Designed to meet the priority needs adopted by ONEP in its
2008-2010 Investment Plan, the project comprises five (5) operations to
reinforce the drinking water production and supply system for areas where the
supply systems will be saturated as from 2010. Further
information on
EMWIS website
15- A study conducted by FAO together with the World Bank, the Morocco Ministry
of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries and several other national institutions,
assessed the impact of climate change on Moroccan agriculture toward the end of
the 21st century. The detailed study covers fifty crops, major agroecological
zones, and several climate change scenarios. The first results of the study on
the projected future agricultural production focus on: Agricultural
adaptation capacity, Uncertainties related to methodology, Future
availability of crop varieties with higher water use efficiencies. Further information on
EMWIS website.
16- The UN has warned that power networks were down in large parts
of the Gaza Strip on 4 January, with hospitals relying on generators. Without
power for pumps, 70 percent of Gazans are estimated to be without tap water. The
Israeli Gisha organisation, an NGO, said seven of the 12 electricity lines in
the enclave (the 12 lines normally supply about 70 percent of Gaza's electricity)
were down, and warned that the lack of power was causing sewage to flood into
populated areas and farmland. There continued to be a risk of sustained flooding.
On the other hand, and due to the current situation in the Gaza Strip that was
imposed by the Israeli military operations since Saturday 27/12/2008, the
Coastal Municipalities Water Utility "CMWU" announced its inability to (failure)
maintain its services in both the water sector in terms of production and
distribution and wastewater sector in terms of collection and discharging in
Gaza Strip governorates. Hence, the CMWU appeals all international humanitarian
aid organizations allover the world for quick and prompt intervention and
involvement with the Israeli side to allow the CMWU for providing and affording
the minimum basic water and wastewater services and restoring the operational
capability of its water and wastewater facilities to avoid further serious
catastrophic humanitarian, health, and environmental consequences under this
hard situation in Gaza Strip. Further
information on
EMWIS website.
See also the
report "Policies of Denial: Lack of Access to Water in the West Bank" released
by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) announced under
publications in this issue of EMWIS news flash.
17- Royal Haskoning has been commissioned by the General Directorate of
State Hydraulic Works (DSI) to develop a large irrigation area in southwest
Turkey. The project covers an area of 31,000 hectares and among other things
includes some main channels, pressure pipes and a large pumping station. Royal
Haskoning is also looking into whether it is feasible to develop the new
irrigation area further using public private partnership.
The project is part of the larger GAP project, which is focusing on doubling the
amount of irrigated agricultural land in Turkey. This will mark the first
definite result of the memorandum of understanding entered into by Turkey and
the Netherlands in May 2001. The consultancy work that Royal Haskoning will be
undertaking will take two years with a total budget for implementation
circa € 250 million. Further information on
EMWIS website.
18- The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) sets ambitious goals
for the preservation and restoration of inland water of Europe up
to 2015.
To support the water policy, ONEMA, the
French National Office for Water & Aquatic
environments, and Cemagref, a research institute on sustainable water management
and territories, combine their skills. Besides their partnership on research and
expertise (a program of more than € 7 million will be carried out in
2009), they created a combined team dedicated to hydroecology of rivers. The
objective is to ensure an even closer relationship between research and action
to better take into account the needs of rivers
managers and to make the
knowledge produced by research. Further information on
EMWIS website
19- The European Commission is taking legal action over two cases where
Greece is violating EU legislation designed to protect human health and the
environment against pollution from waste water and solid waste. In one case the
Commission is launching an infringement procedure against Greece for not putting
in place the required infrastructure for collecting and treating waste water in
12 towns and cities despite having already been condemned by the European Court
of Justice for this failure. If Greece does not rectify the situation rapidly,
the next step might be a financial penalty for Greece. In the other case, the
Commission is sending Greece a final warning over problems with the operation of
a new landfill which constitute a violation of EU waste legislation. Further
information on
EMWIS website.
20- The Ministry of Interior Affairs on Cyprus is considering the
option of increasing water rates in some areas, including Limassol and Larnaca,
where water has been charged less than in other districts. The aim is both to
streamline water prices throughout the island and comply with an EU Directive
which asks local water boards to adjust prices by 2010 to reflect water service
provision costs. At present, local village councils and water boards have
discretion in adjusting water rates, which has resulted in an unfair situation
whereby water charges vary depending on where one lives. The tri-monthly water
bill for an average household (estimated at 45m²) would be €42 in Nicosia, €31
in Larnaca, €16 in Limassol, €27 in neighbouring Pareklissia and a staggering
€225 in Pissouri. Punitive water rates were introduced by some village councils
in the summer as a measure against excessive consumption. Further
information on
EMWIS website.
21- The River Pleisse, the major tributary of the River Weisse Elster
in the Central-German industrial region, used to be excessively polluted mainly
by industrial wastewater from coal-processing, textile, and leather industries
before the political change in 1989. Since then, anthropogenic pollution has
significantly decreased due to close-down of industrial plants and upgrading of
wastewater treatment plants. Nevertheless, the water in the lower course of the
river has remained turbid and brown. This causes concern in the city of Leipzig,
where efforts are made to reconvert the river branches and mill races that had
been canalized underground into open rivers and canals. The cause of this
phenomenon is groundwater pumping in the large brown-coal open-cast mining
district south of the city. The
total iron content of the river water is influenced by the
amount of suspended solids in the water and by the concentration of iron on
these particles. It depends on direct inputs as well as on the hydrological
situation. Further information on
EMWIS website.
22- The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger
Regulation the proposed acquisition of Hägglunds Drives AB, a Swedish
manufacturer of hydraulic drives systems and motors, by Robert Bosch GmbH of
Germany. After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the
transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European
Economic Area or any substantial part of it.
Further
information on
EMWIS website.
23- The AquaStress Final event on 22 and 23 January 2009 in Lisbon
(Portugal) is focusing on "Water Stress Mitigation in Europe and Neighbouring
Countries". The event will include an International Conference and
a Stakeholders
Workshop. The overall objective of the event is to present to a wide audience
the AquaStress project results and achievements and to establish a common
stakeholder-driven Network on Water Stress Mitigation (NETWSM) in Europe and
neighbouring countries. The invited guests to the event include representatives of the European
Commission, the UN World Water Assessment Program - UNESCO, the Arab Water
Council, local stakeholders from both the private and public sectors and other
distinguished experts and water professionals. Further
information on
EMWIS website.
24- ESA, as coordinator of the Global Monitoring for Environment
and Security (GMES) Space Component, has launched a new website through which
data for GMES Services can be obtained. The GMES Space Component Data Access web
portal is now providing data from ESA satellites and ESA Third Party Missions.
In the next months, data from more than 25 other European and non-European
satellites contributing to GMES will be made available. This event marks the
start of pre-operations for the GMES Space Component. Further
information on
EMWIS website.
25- Soil and terrain information is needed for many
interpretations for example in the field of agriculture, environment, watershed
management, infrastructure, etc. but available data are often inaccessible,
incomplete, or out of date. The Group on Earth Observations - GEO plans a Global
Earth Observing System and, within this framework, the
e-SOTER project addresses the felt need for a global soil and terrain
database. As the European contribution to a Global Soil Observing System, e-SOTER
will create a web-based regional pilot platform to deliver soil information that
can be used directly by policy makers and managers; it will also make available
the methods and techniques that have been used to create the information. The
project e-SOTER is a collaborative research project of 14 partners in Europe,
China and Morocco, with European Union funding through the FP7 mechanism.
Further
information on
EMWIS website
26- A communication network has been launched that will enable
researchers from the Middle East and North Africa to link directly into European
research networks. The network, EUMEDCONNECT2, aims to serve the scientific and
medical research communities across the southern Mediterranean and reduce the
digital disparity.
The network started operating in November 2008 after
the second EU-Med event entitled 'e-Infrastructures in the Mediterranean', held
in Amman, Jordan. The European Commission contributed around US$5 million, with a similar amount contributed by the Mediterranean
partner countries — Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and
Tunisia. EUMEDCONNECT2 offers a direct link to the pan-European research and
education communication network (GEANT2), enabling Arab researchers to
collaborate with their European counterparts. The network will also support
environmental and climatic research by providing access to remote databases with
climate-related observational and geographic information system (GIS) data and
facilitating exchange of huge datasets. Further information on
EMWIS website.
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27-
Mr Christodoulos Artemis, Director of the Water
Development Department (WDD) since 2001, is on pre-retirement leave until
28/2/2009 when he officially retires. The new Water Director has been nominated: Mr. Sofoklis Aletraris. Further information on
EMWIS website.
28- The Global Water Partnership (GWP) announced the appointment of Dr. Ania
Grobicki as the GWP Executive Secretary, effective March 11, 2009. Dr.
Grobicki succeeds Emilio Gabrielli who left in May 2008 to take a private sector
position in Australia. Martin Walshe, GWP Deputy Executive Secretary, is serving
as Acting Executive Secretary. Further information on
EMWIS website
29- IUCN elects new president, Council: Members of IUCN celebrated on 13 October
with the announcement of their new President and Council. Ashok Khosla
from India will take over as IUCN President from Valli Moosa, who took up the
post four years ago at the previous Congress in Bangkok. He was earlier a
director in the United Nations Environment Programme. Further information on
EMWIS website
30- New Staff have been nominated at the IUCN: Majdi Salameh as Business &
Biodiversity Officer, Moath Hasan as Finance & Administration Officer, Mufleh
Abbadi as Zarqa River Restoration Project Coordinator, Sameera Rifai as
Palestine Project Office Manager of the REWARD Programme, and Buthaina Mizyed as
Monitoring and Social Research Coordinator of the REWARD Programme. Further
information on
EMWIS website
31- Deadline for
Turkish Republic Prime Minister's Water Prize was extended: The deadline of the
Prize which will be awarded to one Turkish and one foreign journalist for their
excellence on published works related to water issues, was extended to 15
February 2009. Further
information on
EMWIS website
32- The 2009 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in sustainable development will
open for submissions in January 2009. The call for initial expressions of
interest will open in early January 2009 and close in mid-March 2008.
Winners will be announced at the UN Commission for Sustainable Development in
New York in May 2009. From that date, details will be available at www.seedinit.org. Further information on
EMWIS website.
33- SwissRe invites
applications for the International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed
Management 2009: The Award worth USD 150 000 is an internationally recognized
prize for leadership in implementing the principles of sustainability in
watershed management, and is granted to one or several projects selected by an
international jury. The prize money is open to NGOs, private, scientific and
public institutions. As the world’s leading and most diversified global
reinsurer, Swiss Re offers financial services products that enable risk taking
essential to enterprise and progress. Deadline: 31 May 2009.
Further information on
EMWIS website
34- Action Against Hunger (ACF) is present in the
Palestinian Territory since September 2002. ACF provides the most vulnerable
with access to sufficient water and food. ACF builds or rehabilitates national
water infrastructure and supports small and medium sized farmers to improve
their agricultural potential. ACF is looking
for a Water and Sanitation Coordinator, to work in the Palestine Territories.
Application deadline: 30 Jan 2009. Further information on
EMWIS website
38- The Centre on
Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) has released a report "Policies of
Denial: Lack of Access to Water in the West Bank". The report documents
violations of the right to water and sanitation resulting from Israeli
policy and practice in the occupied West Bank, particularly in relation
to lack of Palestinian access to water resources and water and
sanitation services and facilities. The report calls for Israel, as an
occupying power, to assume responsibility for ensuring that the right to
water and sanitation, and other internationally recognized human rights,
are respected, protected and fulfilled for Palestinians in the West
Bank, and not to obstruct the Palestinian Authority from carrying out
its duties and responsibilities in relation to the water and wastewater
sector.
Further information on
EMWIS website.
39- Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME)
has just finalized their EU LIFE III supported project called “Pro
Aquifer”. The project has dealt with protecting the most important
shared water resource between Israelis and Palestinians, the ‘Mountain
Aquifer’, in 2 pilot communities, one Israeli and one Palestinian. FoEME
produced 2 publications entitled “Protecting Trans-boundary Groundwater
Sources from Pollution: Guidelines for Israeli Municipalities and Umm el
Fahem Case Study” , in both Hebrew and English, and another one entitled
“Protecting Trans-boundary Groundwater Sources from Pollution:
Guidelines for Palestinian Municipalities and Tulkarem Case Study” in
both Arabic and English. Further information on
EMWIS website.
40- "Modelling environmental
change in Europe: towards a model inventory (SEIS/Forward) Document
Actions": This technical report provides a non-exhaustive overview of
modelling tools currently available to simulate future environmental
change at a European scale. Modelling tools have become an important
cornerstone of environmental assessments, and play an important role in
providing the data and indicators needed to describe the state of,
trends in and prospects of the environment. This review identifies gaps in the availability,
accessibility and applicability of current modelling tools, and stresses
the need to further stimulate the development and application of
environmental forecasting techniques. Further information on
EMWIS website
42- The final output of
the IV International Symposium on Transboundary Waters Management held
in October was the "Thessaloniki Statement" which was jointly prepared
and approved by all participants, is
available online. Further information on
EMWIS website.
43- The Geopolitics of desalination article was published in the Bulletin
of Marine Studies, No. 14, "Story of Water", March 2008. Further
information on
EMWIS website
IN BRIEF (Full
news)
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NOMINATIONS and
VACANCIES
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PUBLICATIONS
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35- The Algerian legislation
in the water sector is now available in an English translated version
provided by EMWIS National focal Point in Algeria (the Agence de Bassin
Hydrographique Constantinois -Seybousse - Mellegue). Further information
on
EMWIS website.
36- The SMAP RMSU team has
published the reports of the National Meetings on “Environmental
Information Exchange and Reporting Mechanisms in the Mediterranean” held
in Damascus on the 13th October and in Rabat on the 15th of October
2008. The complete documentation of
the four events organised by the SMAP RMSU during 2008
is available for download on the SMAP Clearing House. Further
information on
EMWIS website.
37- The EC Decision on WFD
(Water Framework Directive) Intercalibration results has been published
in the Official Journal of the EU. Further information on
EMWIS website.
41- Publication of two
briefing paper by Chiara Armeni on the right to water in Italy and on
the right to water in Belgium. Further information on
EMWIS website
44- A scenario for the future development of the agricultural and water sector in arid and hyper arid areas, based on recent technologies and scientific results is published as an Implementation Guide of the "Cycler Support" project, which is a specific support action accomplished under the 6th Framework Programme of the European Union, aimed at the implementation of research activities related to wastewater use and - recycling within new generation greenhouse system. Further information on EMWIS website
45- Practical Wastewater Treatment Report: This book serves as both a textbook for the working professional and a guide for the student to learn about the elements of wastewater treatment. The book address how to handle various types of industrial wastes and how to design a wastewater treatment plant. Further information on EMWIS website
46- In January 2009 a new book will become available, entitled "Contaminated Sediments" in the series "The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry", Vol. 5: Water Pollution, Part 5T. This volume of the Handbook deals with various aspects of sediment contamination such as the fate and behavior of persistent organic pollutants, the application of sediment toxicity identification evaluation protocols, and the various ways to degrade toxic pollutants from sediments. Further information on EMWIS website.
47- "River Basins – from Hydrological Science to Water Management: Ninth Kovacs Colloquium Report, 6–7 June 2008, UNESCO, Paris": The discussion and debate at the Colloquium strongly supported these recommendations and also raised further questions and unsolved problems in ongoing hydrological research and water management. Further information on EMWIS website.
48- Managing and Transforming Water Conflicts: a practical guide. Further information on EMWIS website
49- Climate and the Hydrological Cycle: This new book of self-contained chapters by specialists in hydrology and climate science, fills the need of graduate/postgraduate courses and will be of use to scientists and engineers interested in the water cycle, weather prediction and climate change. Further information on EMWIS website.
50- Managing Water Resources describes the 'systems approach' and its application to contemporary water resources management, focusing on simulation, optimization and multi-objective analysis. Further information on EMWIS website.
51- WaDImena Monthly Drop 18 No-Dec 08: This newsletter is a bulletin of information issued on monthly basis and provides information, news and resources related to water demand management in the Middle East and North Africa region. Further information on EMWIS website.
52- Twenty years of water classes water online: The minutes of the celebration of 20 years of water classes is available online. Further information on EMWIS website
53- Vademecum of Water: This book focuses essentially on themes necessary to understand water management and sanitation. Further information on EMWIS website
54- MEDA-Water Newsletter N° 4 - October 2008. Further information on EMWIS website
55- The Newsletter of the IME (Mediterranean Institute of Water) for the month of October 2008 is available online. Further information on EMWIS website
56- UNESCO Water Portal Newsletter No. 211: Water and AIDS. Further information on EMWIS website.
57- The INPIM e-newsletter, January, 2009; Number 83 (INPIM e-newsletter, Issue 82; December 7, 2008). Further information on EMWIS website.
58- IAHS Newsletter 92, November 2008. Further information on EMWIS website.
59- The 10th issue of the TIGER Newsletter, December 2008. Further information on EMWIS website.
60- The SDI Regional Newsletters for January 2008 are now online on the GSDI home page. Further information on EMWIS website.
61- SedNet E-newsletter - December 2008. Further information on EMWIS website.
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CALL FOR
TENDERS and PROPOSALS
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62- ENPI region Call for proposals (Cooperation between local actors):
A restricted Call for Proposals to promote mutual understanding, dialogue and
cooperation between local actors in the EU and in the partner countries of the Neighborhood
region (ENPI region), through the provision of capacity building for the
modernization and strengthening of local and regional government, has been
published. A total of €11.000.000 are available for the purpose of awarding co-financing
grants. In the first instance only Concept Notes must be submitted for
evaluation, before 27 February 2009, for the Call "Cooperation in Urban
Development and Dialogue" (EuropeAid/127778/C/ACT/MULTI). Further information on
EMWIS website
63- A Call for expressions of interest (Reference Nr EuropeAid/ 123304/C/SER/TPS) for the "Provision of training on various subjects related to the implementation of projects financed from the EU General Budget in the context of external actions" is open until 4 February 2009. The activities for this Call may be related to distance learning, or pedagogical methods such as on-the-job training or case studies. The sub-fields are including Knowledge Management projects and Information systems. Further information on EMWIS website.
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CALL FOR PAPERS
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64- The Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources development and Management (INWRDAM) survey questionnaire on use of MBR in MENA region: The purpose of this questionnaire is to check the potential of considering Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment plant as a valid option for treating the domestic wastewater in the rural areas in selected MENA region countries. Further information on EMWIS website.
65- Call for papers for the Special issue: "Hydraulic Bureaucracies: Flows of Water and Power". This special issue will include case studies from various countries that will emphasize the inner historical transformations and the role of these water bureaucracies in the transformation of landscapes, as well as in the formation of the state and wider social relationships. Deadline: 1st of March 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.
66- Call for papers for the International Journal on Hydropower & Dams: HYDRO 2009. This conference will be held in Lyon (Fance) in 26-28 October 2009. Key themes for the programme have been drawn up on the basis of feedback from our International Steering Committee, and participants of HYDRO 2008 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Abstracts of proposed papers are called for by 30 January. Further information on EMWIS website.
68- Call for abstracts for the RSPSoc2009: The 2009 Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Annual Conference. This conference will be held in Leceister, UK in 8-11 September 2009. 27th March 2009: Deadline for abstract submission. Further information on EMWIS website.
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TRAINING
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70- "Financial Management of Water Organizations": The aim of this course is to prepare participants for positions of leadership in water sector and utility management. The course will be held from 27 April to 15 May 2009 in Delft (The Netherlands) and the deadline for applications is 27 March 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.
71- [2009/02/10 - 2009/02/13] A 4-day
Intensive Course: Integrated Water Resources Management in Arid and Semi-Arid
Regions, L'Alquila, Italy.
Further information on
EMWIS website
72- [2009/02/03 -
2009/02/03] &
[2009/03/12 - 2009/03/12]
Les Journées de l'OIEau 2009: "LES PROCEDES D'EPURATION PAR FILTRES PLANTES DE
MACROPHYTES" & "LES POLLUTIONS EMERGENTES EN TRAITEMENT DE POTABILISATION",
Paris, France.
Further information on
EMWIS website
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EVENTS (Full
Agenda)
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[2009/02/21 - 2009/02/24] The Third Grmena Conferences: Water - Resources Management + Environment and Geosciences+ Remote Sensing & GIS, Third International Conference and Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/17 - 2009/02/19] RecShow '09: 2nd Middle East Water, Waste and Environmental Management Exhibition & Congress, Dead Sea, Jordan
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/17 - 2009/02/20] Water Week 2009: "Tackling Global Water Challenges", Washington DC, US
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/17 - 2009/02/17] International conference on the transfer and the assessment of wastewater reuse (E.U.T), Tunis, Tunisia
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/14 - 2009/02/20] 25th Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum: “Globalization and the Environment” and “International Environmental Governance”, Nairobi, Kenya.
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/11 - 2009/02/12] IWRM-Net second trans-European Water research management conference: Bridging the Sci-Pol gap? Brussels, Belgium
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/10 - 2009/02/12] Aquaterra 2009, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/04 - 2009/02/08] 2nd Beirut Water Week: Meeting of the Experts and Water Directors in the Mediterranean Basin, Beirut, Lebanon.
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/04 - 2009/02/05] Western Europe and UNECE countries Regional Workshop on Water Vision for Europe, Brussels, Belgium
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/02/03 - 2009/02/03]
Les Journées de l'OIEau 2009: "LES PROCEDES D'EPURATION PAR
FILTRES PLANTES DE MACROPHYTES", Paris, France.
Further information on
EMWIS website
[2009/01/29 - 2009/01/30] International Conference Water Efficiency in Urban Areas: Concepts, Technologies, Socio Economics, Wuerzburg, Germany
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/28 - 2009/01/29] Water and Energy Exchange (WEX) 2009, Marbella, Spain
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/26 - 2009/01/26] CEE Regional Workshop on Water Vision for Europe, Vienna, Austria
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/25 - 2009/01/29] Symposium GIS Ostrava 2009: Seamless Geoinformation Technologies, Ostrava, Czech Republic
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/22 - 2009/01/24] "Symposium international : Evaluations environnementales et analyses méso-économiques", Marrakech, Morocco
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/22 - 2009/01/23] AquaStress Final Conference and 4th International Workshop on "Water Stress and its mitigation in Europe and neighbouring countries", Lisbon, Portugal
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/21 - 2009/01/23] 3rd Preparatory Committee Meeting (PrepCom)
of the Ministerial Process (5th WWF), Rome, Italy
Further information on
EMWIS website
[2009/01/20 - 2009/01/21] "Dimensionnement et fonctionnement des évacuateurs de crues", Lyon/Paris, France
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/15 - 2009/01/27] Environmental Photographer of the Year 2008 Exhibition, London, UK
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/15 - 2009/01/15] Processus Régional du 5ème Forum Mondial de l’Eau: Conférence Régionale sur la "Session Méditerranéenne", Tunis, Tunisia
Further information on EMWIS website
[2009/01/14 - 2009/01/18] International Water and Sanitation Technologies Exhibition: "SITeau", Casablanca, Morocco
Further information on EMWIS website
===============================================
BRIEF EMWIS SITE MAP
===============================================
ABOUT EMWIS (Priorities,
Activities,
Objectives,
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SEARCH EMWIS WEBSITE
EMWIS SITEMAP
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CONTACT US
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