The workshop on Xiangjiang River Basin Management, organized by GWP China Hunan, was held on November 24 -25, 2011 in Hengyang, Hunan Province with over 70 participants from governmental agencies, research institutions, universities and NGOs. Mr. Zheng Rugang, the Coordinator of GWP China, participated and made a speech on behalf of GWP China.
First workshop of the Integrated Drought Management Programme in Central and Eastern Europe was held on 15-16 October in Hodrusa Hamre.
Towards "innovative financing and investments to accelerate access..."
The GWP CACENA Nomination Commission approved Mr. Djayloobayev A. for the position of Manager of the GWP Water and Climate Programme: Transfer GWP's Knowledge for Climate-Resilient Development in Caucasus and Central Asia for 2013- 2015
GWP Latvia and GWP Partner Daugavas Savieniba have prepared new guidelines for the restoration of water streams. The guidelines are a first attempt in the country to explain practical practical tips for river management activities on different scales, embracing both low cost local activities, as well medium scale multipurpose projects.
The assessment of transboundary water cooperation in Central and Western Europe was the topic of a subregional workshop in Budapest on February 8-10, 2011, organized by the Ministry of Rural Development of Hungary, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in cooperation with the International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC).
The Costa Rican government decided to revise its system of water use levy when it became evident that it was disproportionately low. Action was taken by key stakeholders to reconstruct a design of the water use levy to reflect two basic elements of water charge: water use rights and environmental water services. From this experience, the most important lesson is that political will must support legal and technical works when reforming economic instruments.
The Great Ruaha River is important in terms of the utilisation of its water for agriculture, meeting the ecological needs, and the generation of hydroelectric power. During the early nineties, a series of zero flows in this previously perennial river alerted the authorities to hydrological and environmental change. A project was initiated to investigate the reasons and possible solutions. This case illustrates the critical role and benefits of long-term, large-scale, interdisciplinary research in approaching complex problems.
Further steps towards implementing a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) were taken on 26-28 September 2011 in Rome at a meeting co-organised by FAO and WMO. The aim of the meeting was to develop a strategy for the agriculture and food security and water sectors of the User Interface Platform which is intended to link climate service providers and users with a view to “building the capacity of users to make better use of climate services, collecting users’ requirements, assisting in the monitoring and evaluation of the Framework and promoting a global understanding of the Framework”.