First workshop of the Integrated Drought Management Programme in Central and Eastern Europe was held on 15-16 October in Hodrusa Hamre.
GWP SA attended the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) Communications Task Team (CTT) which met on the 19 November 2013. The meeting provided an opportunity for GWP SA to give an update on the ‘Mainstreaming Climate Change into the Water Sector in the SADC region’ project. The ‘Climate Change Mainstreaming in the SADC Water Sector’ project aims to strengthen national stakeholder platforms for effective decision-making in Water Resource Management & Development, by providing training in national forums by targeting stakeholders and providing national consultations on basin wide issues (such as the development of the ORASECOM IWRM Plan).
The conclusions of a second round of national stakeholder consultations on water urge the global community to include a dedicated water goal within the post-2015 sustainable development agenda.
Many climate change models predict that increasing temperatures, droughts, heavy precipitation and other extreme climatic events will have severe impacts on family farmers. Yields might be reduced by up to 50 percent in dry regions at the same time as family farming continues to be the basis unit of the agricultural economy in developing countries.
Coinciding with the 2013 World Water Week in Stockholm, GWP presents three new policy briefs on critical water management issues. The topics are Integrated Urban Water Management, Transboundary Water Cooperation and the Economic Value of a Water Secure World.
“Water is life, but water can also be a threat to life”. This was said by the Permanent Secretary in the former Ministry of Water Resources Development and Management (MWRDM) in a keynote speech read on his behalf at a Catchment and Sub-catchment consultation and action planning workshop. He further highlighted that water resources in Zimbabwe need to be treated with extreme care due to increased scarcity being brought about by the adverse effects of climate change.
Mining is an important industry in West Africa. It contributes to economic and social development, but it also disrupts the natural and human balance, raising questions about the risk it poses to communities living near mining sites.
Oil-shale mining and oil-shale based electricity production has caused serious damage to ground and surface water in the Viru-Peipsi catchment area in Estonia. Action was taken to enhance the protection of the water resources through a project that set out a management plan. The project included data collection, monitoring and capacity building. Due to the success of this project, it can be used as an example for future developments.