Guizhou already experiences the effects of climate change, including droughts. Action was taken with the approval of a new policy document which provides funds supporting water quality improvements, water and soil conservation, ecosystem rehabilitation, irrigation, and managing increasing demand. Steps have also been taken for preventive actions for subsequent droughts. The most important lesson that can be learnt is that the greatest challenge to building resilience to droughts is institutional.
The Tisza River is faced with deteriorating water quality as well as floods with increasing frequency and levels. These issues are exacerbated by climate change. Action has been taken, both by national authorities, international actors and NGOs to develop more adaptive management schemes. The key lesson is that in water management, the biggest problem is the weak coordination among different fields and interests – such as agriculture, nature, navigation, flood defence.
Due to increased agricultural irrigation and large scale dam projects, and inappropriate land and water management practices, the water inflow to the Komadugu Yobe Basin has dramatically been reduced. Action has been taken to establish a legal and policy enabling environment, as well as to increase knowledge among the local communities to establish more sustainable behaviour. The main lesson learnt was that although a multi-stakeholder participatory approach is slow, it helped to mobilise partnership.
Communicatorsfrom the GWP regional offices are undergoing 4 days training in designing communication and knowledge management strategies in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava from 9-13th December 2013.
Water Cooperation is at the heart of GWP’s mission to support the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels.
Over thirty (30) regional organisations working in the areas of water and wastewater in the Caribbean, will meet in Barbados on April 28th and 29th, 2014 at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, to critically explore ways of strengthening their collaboration to improve water security in the region.
The seminar of liaison officers who are responsible for foreign affairs, and overseas visits, organized by the Department of International Cooperation, Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources, was taken place on November 14 and 15, 2012, Changshu, Jiangsu Province.
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).
Climate change and the role of water in socio-economic development was the theme of a workshop for journalists organized by GWP Central Africa in Douala, Cameroon, 17-20 December 2012. News reporting, writing techniques and tools for effective storytelling and reporting were also on the agenda for the 21 participants who came from print media and broadcasting.