Press release 11 December 2010
Cancún, Mexico—The world’s economic growth and social welfare depend on the sustainable management of the world’s water resources in the context of climate change, according to a statement issued by the Global Water Partnership (GWP). The statement was delivered by GWP Chair Dr. Letita A. Obeng to the high level session of the world climate change conference.
(Photo: GWP Chair Letitia A Obeng, by Marianela Arguello)
GWP was invited by the UNFCCC to make statement to COP 16 climate conference.
The Mediterranean region covers 1.75 million kM2. With 446 million inhabitants, accounting for 7% of the world population, Mediterranean is encountering a rapid and unbalanced demographic growth and increased urbanization trends. Increasing poverty in urban centres is directly linked with water and health issues.
The challenges China is facing with the rapid growth of urban centres, and the corresponding demands on limited water and related resources, is immense. This is true on the Loess Plateau which covers an area of some 640,000 km² in the upper and middle of China's Yellow River. A workshop on “Efficient Use of Water Resources and Ecological Compensation” was co-organized by GWP China-Yellow River and the Yellow River Research Institute on 27-28 September 2010, in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
Drought in the Caribbean is affecting national economies and key sectors such as agriculture, energy production, tourism and water supply. This crisis was the focus of the 6th High Level Session (HLS) of Water Ministers in the Caribbean on 3-4 October 2010 in Grenada. The gathering has been organized annually since 2005 by GWP Caribbean in conjunction with the Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA).
On October 20, 2010 in Beijing, the WWF Beijing Office released the new book “The Management Practice on Rural Drinking Water Security Project in China” which was jointly edited by WWF and the Rural Drinking Water Safety Center of Ministry of Water Resources (MWR).
The Workshop on Efficient Use of Water Resources and Ecological Compensation on Loess Pleteau of the Yellow River, co-organized by GWP China Yellow River and Yellow River Research Institute, was held on September 27 and 28, 2010, Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
GWP Partners in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Southeast Asia took part in a training course on “Groundwater Management in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM),”
Abundant freshwater resources caracterise Cameroon, yet the country faces severe water challenges as a result of management, legal and institutional deficiencies. Due to the fragmented water sector, development in Cameroon goes slowly. To increase the sustainability of water resources management, Cameroon has embarked on a process towards developing integrated water resources management plans.