Benin in West Africa belongs to the group of Least Developed Countries (LDC) with a low per capita GDP. Its economy is predominantly dependant on subsistence farming (extensive cotton production) and regional trade. The country is drained by a dense hydrographical network made up of seasonal flow rivers and less than 3% of its renewable water resources are currently used.
Key challenges in Central Asia are the degradation of ecosystems and increasing water deficiency. It is a region of scarce water resources, many of which cut across national borders. The intensive use of the limited resources leads to conflicts of interest, making transboundary water resources management crucial to the sustainability of the region’s resources.
As part of its response to last year’s devastating floods in the country, GWP Pakistan organised on 12 January 2011 a one-day seminar on water security in the face of climate change, with the support of the government’s Planning Commission and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
For the first time the Government of India has selected a non-government organisation, GWP India West Zone Water Partnership (WZWP) Coordinating Agency, Gomukh Trust, to prepare an integrated water resources development and management plan.
The UN climate negotiations in Cancún, Mexico, will be an opportunity to take a sober look at the state of the world’s climate and our collective capacity to respond to the changes which are already visible: more extreme weather events, floods, droughts, glacier melting, polar ice caps shrinking, and sea levels rising, GWP Executive Secretary Dr Ania Grobicki writes in a publication issued for the COP16 delegates (click on link at right).
Recently the GWP ToolBox, a free online database for those interested in better water management, has been improved with a number of new features and resources.
A recently released study by the World Bank emphasizes the importance of better information and a more integrated approach to water management.