GRAPHIC and UNESCO IHP VII
UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP) is the only intergovernmental programme of the UN system devoted to water research, water resources management, and education and capacity building. The programme, tailored to Member States’ needs, is implemented in six-year phases – allowing it to adapt to a rapidly changing world.
The seventh phase of IHP [
- 440KB] (2008 – 2013) under the title Water Dependencies: Systems under Stress and Societal Responses will continue to promote and lead international hydrological research, facilitate education and capacity development, and enhance governance in water resources management. The aim of these efforts is to help meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on environmental sustainability, water supply, sanitation, food security and poverty alleviation.
The results achieved during this phase will be science-based, action-oriented and policy-relevant so that all of IHP’s audiences – governments, the scientific community and civil society – can benefit from them.
The activities carried out within the framework of GRAPHIC will in particular contribute to Theme 1 of the IHP VII: Adapting to the impacts of global changes on river basins and aquifer systems. The implementation of the GRAPHIC project is one of the outcomes of the focal area 1.4 Managing Groundwater Systems’ response to Global Changes. Physical fluxes, state variables and their interaction with management of groundwater systems will be investigated in coordination with IHP National Committees, ICHARM, IGRAC, GEWEX, GEOS, IUGS, IAHS, UNU-HES, and UNESCO Category I and II Centres. Planned activities will, among others:
- Assess the impacts of global change (e.g. climate change and human pressures) on groundwater resources and support Member States in addressing regional needs through global coordination;
- Improve understanding of how groundwater contributes to the global water cycle and evaluate the changes to groundwater storage and flux;
- Facilitate county/regional groundwater assessments and exchange of information via seminars, workshops and conferences;
- Better define growing population pressures on groundwater resources, global warming impacts on groundwater recharge rates, rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion;
- Raise awareness of decision makers, implementers, users and the general public of the importance of groundwater as a store of freshwater to encourage improved protection and sustainable use.
Special attention will be given to arid and semi-arid regions, which are particularly vulnerable to climate change, with consequences that may have very serious social and environmental effects. GRAPHIC is expected to substantially contribute to several IHP focal areas, with case studies covering different climatic conditions, including semi-arid areas. Activities will be based on GRAPHIC’s existing network of groundwater and climate scientists.
For more information please refer to the UNESCO-IHP VII brochure. [ - 1.6MB]
