A GWP delegation participated at the High-Level International Conference on Water Cooperation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, which took place on 20-21 August. GWP Executive Secretary Dr. Ania Grobicki said the event was a historic opportunity to rethink water.
The Toledo River basin is increasingly contaminated due to unsustainable agricultural practices, Action was taken through a UNESCO-IHP project aiming to perform an integrated environmental assessment of agricultural and farming production systems located in the Toledo River Basin. By using a multi-criteria approach, it was possible to highlight the interactions and use of natural capital, human-driven resources, and ecosystem services supporting agricultural and farming production systems.
In the Danube hydrographic basin, agricultural practices continue to be the main source of water pollution. A pilot project “Best Agricultural Practices” was initiated focusing on e.g. nutrient management, conservation tillage and manure management. Awareness campaigns were initiated, training and education of farmers were emphasised. The key lesson is that these projects should be complimented by other technical and investment measures.
In March 2012, the 23rd Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), adopted the Implementation Plan for a Regional Framework for Achieving Development Resilient to Climate Change. The Implementation Plan was developed by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), a lead CARICOM agency for coordination of climate change interventions in the region.
Unsustainable irrigation policies during the Soviet era have had devastating consequences for the Aral Sea. With the collapse of USSR, the riparian states took action and entered into agreement on Cooperation in the Joint Use and Protection of Water Resources of Interstate Significance. Furthermore, the international community took action and much attention has been devoted to re-establish the Aral Sea ecosystem. This case illustrates the importance of engaging all key stakeholders.
The Goascoran River basin is shared by Honduras and El Salvador and is of great environmental, economical and geopolitical importance. In 2006, action was taken to create a multi-sector instance to integrate, influence and coordinate sustainable management of the shared basin. This experience is of great value for IWRM, as the management group establishes a model of work for transboundary management.
The Kumbo water supply system has always had contested ownership claims. After decades of protest, action was taken and management was transferred to Kumbo Urban Council, resulting in the establishment of an inclusive and participatory community water governance structure. From this, the lesson can be learnt that the command and control paradigm can provoke social and political instability. The case also demonstrates how community based platforms can enhance community mobilisation and participatory governance.
World Water Day is a major event celebrated and observed by the Philippine water sector.
This year’s WWD theme:“International Year of Water Cooperation” was translated into local slogan of “Tubig Para sa Lahat, Lahat Para sa Tubig” (“Water for all, all for Water”) and served as the core message for the celebration participated by multi-stakeholders coming from the government sector, private sector and non-government organizations (NGOs).
On 27-28 May 2014 in Almaty, Kazakhstan there was held the Regional Conference "Prospects of water resources management in Central Asia: From the river basin approach to regional cooperation".