Summary
News
- G-WADI organizes Training Workshop on Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones
- UNESCO-IHP Latin America and Caribbean stays busy during the month of June
- Information materials on the human right to water and sanitation produced for Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum
Events
UNESCO Water Family (*)
- 21st International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), the 8th International Micro Irrigation Congress, and the 62nd ICID IEC Meeting
- TKWRM 2012: International Conference on Traditional Knowledge for Water Resources Management
Featured International Events
- International Seminar on Water Related Risk Management
- Groundwater: Cities, Suburbs, and Growth Areas — Remedying the Past/Managing for the Future
- Declining Groundwater Levels: Measuring/ Monitoring/ Mitigation, an NGWA Virtual Conference
- Rivers 2011: 3rd International Conference on Managing Rivers in the 21st Century
Publications
- Groundwater for Emergency situations: A Methodological Guide – IHP-VII Series on Groundwater
Did you know?
Facts and figures about water footprints and virtual water
e-Newsletter archives
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News
G-WADI organizes Training Workshop on Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones
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G-WADI Workshop
On the initiative of UNESCO’s Tehran Office and IHP Iran, the Regional G-WADI Training Workshop on Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones was held in Tehran, Iran from 20 to 21 June 2011 with the presence of Chair of IHP Intergovernmental Council, Prof Soontak Lee; Chairman of the Iranian National IHP Committee and Deputy Minister of Water and Waste Water Affairs, Ministry of Energy, I.R. of Iran, Mr Attarzade; Secretary General of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO, Dr Saeidabadi; Deputy Minister of Jihad Agriculture, Dr Salajaghe; Director of UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office, Mr. Qunli Han; members of the Iranian National IHP Committee and representatives from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan. The Workshop covered the following themes:
20 June
- Opening Ceremony
- Session 1: Monitoring and Modeling Climate Change
21 June
- Session 2: Impacts of Climate Change: dealing with uncertainty)
- Session 3: Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change
- Session 4: Introducing International Initiatives and Activities of UNESCO in Iran
The Workshop was followed by the 4th Meeting of the Asian G-WADI Network attended by representatives from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan, the Chairman of IHP Intergovernmental Council, Prof Lee, members of the Iranian National IHP Committee, UNESCO staff from Almaty and Tehran Offices as well as representatives from Iranian Universities who met in Tehran, Iran, on 22nd June 2011. Officially opened by Prof Lee, the Chair of IHP Intergovernmental Council, the new directions of the G-WADI Programme as well as report of Asian G-WADI activities were reviewed. Very interesting discussions took place around the country reports presented by participating countries, which further underlined the need to improve networking and capacity building activities. The countries welcomed Iran’s initiative to develop concrete project proposals for joint collaboration of two or more of Asian G-WADI countries. In this respect, two project proposals were presented by IHP Iran for which the countries agreed to further review the proposal on "Creation of Landform, Land use, Land cover and Soil erosion maps using a GIS and Remote Sensing Protocol at the regional scale" and provide feedbacks. The participating countries also concluded to develop a publication under IHP series on "Lessons learnt from Integrated Watershed Management in the Asian G-WADI Countries". They also stressed on the need to exchange technical visits among the Asian G-WADI Pilot Basins. The meeting was closed by adopting an unanimous statement.
On 23 June, participants had a technical visit to Taleghan-Hashtgerd G-WADI Pilot Basin as a Post-Workshop Technical Tour.
G-WADI website | G-WADI Asia website
UNESCO-IHP Latin America and Caribbean stays busy during the month of June
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The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) office in Montevideo, Uruguay had a full month of activities during June 2011.
International Forum on Water Resources (Panama and Costa Rica, 4-15 June, 2011)
Organized by the Panama IHP National Committee this forum focused on two main events aimed at strengthening concepts related to sustainable water management at different levels. These two events are the International Seminar "Educating ourselves on water knowledge", which conveyed yo water professionals different approaches regarding water resources management; and the UNESCO - WET Water and Education programme training workshops for teachers, which were organized with the support of the Binational Sixaola Project. Three training workshops were organized in urban and indigenous communities of Panama and Costa Rica, 4 – 9 June, 2011, with the objective of creating capacities in order to raise awareness among children and youths on the importance of integrated and sustainable management of water.
XI IHP-LAC National Committees and Focal Points Meeting and side events (Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, 28-29 June, 2011)
The IHP National Committees and Focal Points for Latin America and the Caribbean biannual Meetings are instances for coordination of activities, planning and exchange of knowledge and initiatives among water authorities, decision-makers and high-level professionals in the field of water in the region. The Dominican Republic National Institute for Water Resources hosted the 9th Meeting that convened more than 80 participants of the LAC region representing water authorities, decision-makers, academia and institutions. In this framework the following activities were also organized:
GRAPHIC-LAC Seminar "Groundwater, climate change and human activity: assessment and adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean" (Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, 30 June - 1 July, 2011)
GRAPHIC global initiative (Groundwater Resources Assessment under the Pressures of Humanity and Climate Change) is aimed at improving the understanding on groundwater interactions within the global water cycle, its support to ecosystems and humankind and, in turn, its response to the complex and coupled pressures of human activity and climate change. Through a variety of case studies, GRAPHIC outlines areas of international research, covering major geographical regions, groundwater resource topics, and methods to help advance the knowledge required to address both the scientific and social aspects of this field. This international seminar convened the experience of several implemented and ongoing case studies worldwide, seeking for expanding the network in the LAC.
GRAPHIC website | GRAPHIC brochure
PCCP (From Potential Conflict to Cooperation Potential) training course (Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, 27 June - 1 July, 2011)
The PCCP Programme facilitates multi-level and interdisciplinary dialogue in order to foster peace, co-operation and development related to the management of shared water resources through training courses. These courses promote practices of conflict resolution through research and capacity building and the development of tools for forecasting, prevention and conflict resolution related to water. In order to expand the capacities of the PCCP Programme and support the dissemination at regional level, a group of professionals coming from 12 Latin American countries attended a course for trainers that will allow the spreading of the Programme in the LAC region.
PCCP website
Short Videos and Photo Contest on Water Resources (Dominican Republic)
Organized by the National Institute of Water Resources (INDRHI) with the support of UNESCO-IHP, the Water Channel and the European Union – Water Culture Against Poverty Programme, this contest under the theme "Water, a resource for life" invites young professionals in the field of audiovisual communication to present works aimed at raising awareness on the importance of water resources and the preservation of the resource. These works shall feed into the INDRHI "Water Room" that aims at creating awareness on water issues in rural areas.
INDRHI website
Information materials on the human right to water and sanitation produced for Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum
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On the occasion of activities jointly organized by the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC), UN-Habitat, the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) and the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) at Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum (20-22 June 2011), different information materials on the human right to water and sanitation have been produced. These include:
- A Short Glossary on the human right to water and sanitation which defines frequently used terms: http://bit.ly/kimZ4D
- A Media Brief presenting the current situation and some examples illustrating how the human right to water and sanitation is being implemented in practice: http://bit.ly/mCz9g8
- A Reader, which provides basic references for easy reading and some of the latest and most relevant United Nations publications on this issue: http://bit.ly/iAvqri
- Eight Short Facts on the human right to water and sanitation: http://bit.ly/k45MFs
- A UN Milestones document presenting the UN historical background and evolution of recognition of the human right to water and sanitation: http://bit.ly/jEnOiq
- Also, a new thematic section on the human right to water and sanitation is now accessible from the Water Decade website.
Further information on activities organized at the Forum
Events
UNESCO Water Family (*)
21st International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), the 8th International Micro Irrigation Congress, and the 62nd ICID IEC Meeting
15-23 October 2011: Tehran, Iran
TKWRM 2012: International Conference on Traditional Knowledge for Water Resources Management
21-23 February 2012: Yazd, Iran
Featured International Events
International Seminar on Water Related Risk Management
15-17 July 2011: Jakarta, Indonesia
Groundwater: Cities, Suburbs, and Growth Areas — Remedying the Past/Managing for the Future
8-9 August 2011: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Declining Groundwater Levels: Measuring/ Monitoring/ Mitigation, an NGWA Virtual Conference
23-24 August 2011: Online
Rivers 2011: 3rd International Conference on Managing Rivers in the 21st Century
6-9 December 2011: Penang, Malaysia
Access a complete list of water events around the world
Publications
Groundwater for Emergency situations: A Methodological Guide
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IHP-VII Series on Groundwater; 3 - Edited by Jaroslav Vrba and Balthazar Th. Verhagen
The precipitate growth of disasters that affect ever-increasing numbers of humanity in recent years and the inevitable attendant crisis in the emergency of supplying drinking water has prompted the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP) to undertake a project entitled 'Groundwater for Emergency Situations' (GWES).
The aim of the GWES project is to identify emergency groundwater resources bodies resistant to natural and man-made disasters that could replace damaged public and domestic drinking water supplies.
This Methodological Guide provides indications for the protection and management of aquifers to be used in emergency. It also outlines the governance policy framework in which groundwater as an emergency resource may be integrated into overall emergency management and service provision.
Available online
Did you know...? Facts and figures about water footprints and virtual water
- The water footprint of an individual, business or nation is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the foods and services consumed by the individual, business or nation. A water footprint is generally expressed in terms of the volume of water use per year.
- Since not all goods consumed in one particular country are produced in that country, the water footprint consists of two parts: use of domestic water resources and use of water outside the borders of the country. The water footprint includes both the water withdrawn from surface and groundwater and the use of soil water (in agricultural production).
- Virtual water is the water 'embedded' in commodities. Producing goods and services requires water; the water used to produce agricultural or industrial products is called the virtual water of the product.
- The global volume of virtual water flows related to the international trade in commodities is 1,600 Km³/yr. About 80% of these virtual water flows relate to the trade in agricultural products, while the remainder is related to industrial product trade.
- The production of 1 kilogram of:
- rice requires 3,000 litres of water
- maize requires 900 litres of water
- wheat requires 1,350 litres of water
- beef requires 16,000 litres of water.
- 140 litres of water are needed to produce 1 cup of coffee while the production of 1 litre of milk requires 1,000 litres of water.
- Globally, water is saved if agricultural products are traded from regions with high water productivity to those with low water productivity. At present, if importing countries produced all imported agricultural products domestically, they would require 1,600 Km³ of water per year; however, the products are being produced with only 1.200 Km³/yr in the exporting countries, saving global water resources by roughly 400 billion m³/yr.
- The per capita consumption of virtual water contained in our diets varies according to the type of diet, from 1 m³/day for a survival diet, to 2.6 m³/day for a vegetarian diet and over 5 m³ for a United States style meat based diet.
- Only about 7% of the Chinese water footprint of 700 m³ per capita per year (m³/cap/yr) falls outside of China, whereas 65% of Japan's total water footprint of 1150 m³/cap/yr is external.
- The United States appears to have an average water footprint of 2,480 m³/cap/yr, while the global average water footprint is 1,240 m³/cap/yr.
The section "Did You Know…?" is taken from the 2nd United Nations World Water Development Report: "Water, a shared responsibility".
UNESCO's Water Family consists of the following:
- International Hydrological Programme
- World Water Assessment Programme
- UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
- Water-related Institutes and Centres under the Auspices of UNESCO
- UNESCO Water-related Chairs
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