Partners are the basis on which the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) operates. This year's World Water Day theme “Water Cooperation” reminds us that working together is essential to achieving a water secure future.
A programme of measures for forest adaptation, and for mitigating the negative effects of climate change, will be established in four GWP CEE countries, with the dissemination of results to policy- and decision-makers, stakeholders and NGOs.
Coinciding with the 12th European Conference EUROPE INBO 2014, on 12 November 2014 GWP Central and Eastern Europe is releasing a new video on Small Water retention measures.
The Pantanoso watershed in Montevideo has been identified as vulnerable to threats of intense rains and floods, posing risks to the human settlements. To combat the risks, action was taken by the local population and governmental authorities to engage in a project on Climate Related Disaster Risk Management. The key lesson is that strengthening vulnerable communities upon climate risks represents a key tool for the IWRM, since it contributes to empowering the population.
After the USSR was dissolved, Romania has experienced water scarcity for agriculture. The World Bank and USAID are providing loans/funds for irrigation projects and to strengthen water users associations. This case thus illustrates that irrigation subsidies may be needed to support agriculture until farming efficiency improves and returns from the sale of agricultural products can cover costs.
There have been many dialogues and seminars on river pollution in the past 20 years or so. Generally everyone agrees that as a country, we desperately need to do something about the sad state of our rivers, especially when we hope to achieve developed nation status by 2020. However, we have not been successful in translating consensus at these forums into changes on the ground.
In Australia, a new approach to water management was needed to allow imported water to be used for irrigation without increasing the salinity of the soils or groundwater. Action was taken to develop a framework to enable irrigators to identify and to manage the environmental risks associated with the use of River Murray water for irrigation. The key lesson is that a salt management strategy is relevant wherever there are plans to irrigate land.
The Murray-Darling Basin was subjected to widespread environmental degradation. In response to this problem, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission was established in January 1988 under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, focusing on protecting and improving water quality. The key lesson is that the participatory approach used with its Community Advisory Committee has helped the Commission to be successful in winning and maintaining community interest, involvement and support.
The National Adaptation Plan Global Support Programme (NAP-GSP)/GWP Joint Mission aiming at supporting the National Adaptation Planning process in Madagascar and suggesting next steps and actions was held from 9th to 19th March 2015 in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
A national consultation on Adaptation to Climate Change and Drought in Slovenia was organised on 6 February 2014 by GWP Slovenia and the Centre for Management of Drought in South-Eastern Europe. Over 40 participants attended the meeting at the Slovenian Environment Agency in Ljubljana.