The Prespa basin was affected by over-abstraction and diversion of water, wetland drainage, deforestation and overgrazing, leading to danger for human livelihoods and ecosystems. Action was taken by WWF through the creation of the Society for the Protection of Prespa, eventually culminating in the creation of Prespa National Park. The lesson drawn is that to change the perspective of local stakeholders to ensure that they share a common vision is vital for success.
Uganda is currently experiencing rapid depletion of water resources, which, in addition to ecological challenges, is leading to conflicts in some parts of the country. The Ugandan government has taken action and formulated policies and policy regimes to regulate land use and impacts on the environment. Despite the existence of laws and regulations, this case study illustrates the discrepancy between policy formulation and the reality of implementation on the ground.
Government Ministers with responsibility for water in the Caribbean are scheduled to meet at the 7th Annual High Level Session (HLS) Ministerial Forum on October 6th and 7th, 2011 in Guadeloupe. The HLS is convened annually by the Global Water Partnership Caribbean in collaboration with the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA).
On World Water Day, the Global Water Partnership calls for increased cooperation to manage shared water resources.
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.
The International Conference on Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin was jointly held by GWP China, Chinese Academy of Engineering, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Zhejiang University and State Key Laboratory of Basin Water Cycle Simulation and Regulation, on December 9 to 12, 2013 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.
Local ownership and information are keys to success in water resources management. A project in the Cyohoha water catchment, shared between Rwanda and Burundi, shows that IWRM works in a region which suffered from disastrous conflicts only twenty years go.
Due to temporal and spatial variability of rainfalls, Sri Lanka experience local scarcity. Furthermore, most water resources are used for irrigation, and little is left for industry and domestic use. Action was taken towards policy reform but these reforms were, however, nationally desired but externally designed, leading to failure since they did not account for the Sri Lankan context. This case study thus illustrates the crucial importance of national anchoring of policies.