Recently, Chile's General Directorate of Water (DGA) has showed a keen interest in ensuring an integrated approach to water management, reflected in its 2005 document IWRM and Several Experiences of Organisations of Water Users and the most recent 2011 report: Chile – Diagnosis of Water Resources Management.
This question was addressed by GWP Technical Committee Chair, Dr Mohamed Ait-Kadi, who spoke at “Green Week”, the largest annual conference on European environment policy, in Brussels, in May 2011. His presentation “Water Security & Green Economy: links through IWRM” was given at the session on “The United Nations conference on sustainable development in 2012: Can it deliver on resource efficiency?”
Agriculture: the major sector of water consumption
Intensive abstraction for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes has led to depletion of surface and groundwater bodies. Overexploitation of groundwater resources in particular, has led to seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers. Over the last 50 years, water demand for all sectors of activity together has doubled to reach 280 km3/ year in 2007.
Water security in the 21st century requires an integrated approach to water resources management.
The idea of a Regional Climate Outlook Forum (RCOF) originated out of a workshop entitled “Reducing Climate-related Vulnerability” held in Southern Africa in October 1996. Almost a year later, towards the end of 1997, the first RCOF was held in Zimbabwe in Southern Africa where the idea was birthed.
Eritrea, situated by the Red Sea, is bordering Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan. This is a beneficial geopolitical position as it provides direct access to the world’s busiest shipping lane. The climate is hot; dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands. In terms of natural resources, Eritrea is rich in gold, potash, zinc and copper.
The Limpopo basin is located in Southern Africa and covers an area of 416,296 km2, spreading over four countries: Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
GWP CEE publishes technical publications related to different aspects of integrated water resources management.