The Water Changemaker Innovation Awards 2023 is proud to announce the top 30 finalists selected from a pool of exceptionally innovative and impactful projects dedicated to addressing water-related challenges worldwide. The finalists have been announced during a hybrid event held on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, 22 September 2023.
As a long-standing co-sponsor of the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP), the Global Water Partnership (GWP) is proud to have played a central role in organising the Drought Resilience +10 Conference. This conference, marking the 11th anniversary of the launch of IDMP by GWP and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), served as a critical milestone in the global conversation on drought and water scarcity. It highlighted the pressing need for unprecedented collaboration to address the escalating threat of drought and water scarcity worldwide.
Growing populations and climatic impacts are placing unprecedented pressure on water resources. This is true of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region which comprises 16 Member States, whose population in 2018, was estimated to be at 345.2 million, a rise from 336.9 million as of 2017. Rivers play a pivotal role in the region's socio-economic development, as evidenced by its reliance on these waterways. Southern Africa boasts of 15 major transboundary river basins, shared among neighbouring countries, with 13 basins entirely within the region's borders. However, the equitable distribution of water resources remains a challenge, exacerbated by climatic factors influencing rainfall patterns and the geographical distribution of river basins. While these rivers can spark conflicts, they also serve as conduits for peace and cooperation. Therefore, prioritizing transboundary water cooperation is not merely about economic prosperity but also essential for nurturing stability and harmony throughout the region.
The ‘Development of three Green Climate Fund (GCF) Concept Notes: Concept Notes Validation Workshop’ was held on Wednesday, the 6 November 2024, in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
In a bid to bolster climate resilience and address the growing impacts of climate change on water resources, the Government of Eswatini has initiated the development of three water-related concept notes. Collaborating with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, the Department of Water Affairs, and the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Eswatini is set to receive technical support from the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa Partnership.
The Government of Eswatini says the private sector needs to get involved in climate action to protect their own as well as the nation’s investments from the impacts of climate change. Government data shows that 80 percent of surveyed private sector enterprises reported that their businesses had been impacted by climate-related events, most of which had involved extreme and erratic rainfall and drought.
The Community of Learning and Practice on Drought Management for Central and Eastern Europe and Northern Mediterranean (CLP CEE & NM) was launched during a landmark event held on 22-24 April in Chisinau, Moldova.
This year, World Water Week broke with traditional themes by showcasing innovation for a ‘water-wise world’. The foremost annual water conference brought more than 15,000 participants to Stockholm – physically and virtually – to rethink how we can responsibly manage water with the aid of innovation. With more than 20 events as well as a booth, GWP played its part in putting water at the centre of development.
Organised within the framework of the Horizon 2020 REXUS project, whereby
GWP-Med is leading the Communication and Dissemination Component, the Pinios field trip laid bare the challenges and opportunities of Greece's most productive agricultural basin.
From 20 to 24 March 2023, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) in collaboration with its regional implementing partners, the Mono Basin Authority and the Global Water Partnership West Africa, organised visits and consultation meetings in the project areas in the two countries concerned (Togo and Benin).