GWPSA is a key partner involved in the implementation of some WaterNet Activities. These activities are currently being guided by the Phase III WaterNet Strategy (2012-2016), themed “Achieving Sustainability by Increasing Impact”. GWPSA’s main area of involvement has been through the WaterNet/Water Research Fund for Southern Africa (WARFSA)/GWP-SA Symposia, which have been held annually in the Eastern and Southern African regions for the past thirteen years.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA
Uniting our Efforts for the Future
The Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council will spot light on the Mediterranean Cooperation as an instrument to ensure peace, stability and growth in our region.
Together with the European Territorial Cooperation Programme MED and the Neighborhood Cross-border Cooperation Programme in the Mediterranean Sea Basin ENPI MED, the Cyprus Presidency warmly invites you to the first joint conference of these two cooperation programmes to be held in Cyprus on October 24th and 25th 2012.
For further information on the Conference see the Agenda or visit http://cyprusconferences.org/jccy2012/index.php
The Meuse and the Scheldt river basins are subjected to pollution and seasonal water shortages, as well as political clash of interests regarding maritime access. Action was taken to solve these issues by the Belgian government. However, although an agreement was eventually made, political issues made the process complex. From this case, it is apparent that a cross-sectoral approach that looks beyond the water sector is often instrumental in developing attractive package deals.
A Regional Day under the theme of “Improved Efficiency for Increased Resilience to Climate Change: an Integrated Water Resources Management Perspective”, and a seminar on “Different Capacities, Different Roles – Empowering South Asian Women for Climate Change Adaptation” were jointly organised by GWP South Asia, GWP-India and WAPCOS Ltd at the recently concluded India Water Week 2013 held in New Delhi, India. Both events witnessed a large number of participants and lively panel discussions. The South Asia Climate Resiliency and Water Security Programme (WAter and Climate REsilience Programme – WACREP) was also launched as part of the Regional Day.
Deltas, where the river meets the sea, are dynamic and productive systems where people live and have built civilizations for millennia. Throughout the world they host dense populations and are important centers of food production, livelihoods and industry. These confluences of the sweet and the salty waters are of great ecological significance, featuring wetlands of high and unique biodiversity. Wise management of deltas is crucial for the integrity of ecosystems, economic well being and poverty alleviation.
GWP SA is working closely with a number of partners namely GRID-Arendal and RESILIM in the development of an Atlas of the Limpopo River Basin. This initiative is a basin collaboration initiative known as the Limpopo River Basin of Our Changing Environment. An initial conceptualisation workshop was held by the partners on the 18th-19th August, 2014 at Cresta Churchill in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The workshop brought together 33 participants to share experiences and understand the environmental changes that have occurred in the Limpopo River Basin and conceptualise the development of an Atlas.
Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) with the support of its partner, the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) of The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus in Barbados, spearheaded the first-ever Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Knowledge Management Workshop to be held in the Caribbean.
The second annual Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-II) is a key activity of the Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) Programme which is organised jointly by the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB). It provides a forum for dialogue and engagement with various stakeholders involved in climate and development in Africa.
Fragmented data collection made processing, use and interpretation of data challenging. To attain a more uniform data collection, the State Water Cadastre was initiated, designed to collect data on surface and ground waters, water users, water quality and water quantity. Through the implementation of this programme, data was more easily available and also provided for more accurate response to environmental challenges.