FEBRUARY IN FOCUS
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UNESCO and the Government of Italy sign an agreement for WWAP phase 3
On Friday 2 February, Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Mr. Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, Minister for the Environment, Land and Sea of the Republic of Italy, signed an agreement whereby the Ministry will make a generous contribution to support WWAP during its 3rd Phase (2006-2009) and the WWAP Secretariat will be transferred to Perugia, Italy.
WWAP’s 1st and 2nd phases were carried out thanks to the kind financial contributions of several countries, mainly that of Japan, but also the United Kingdom, Spain, and Denmark among others. The government of Japan will continue to support WWAP financially during phase 3 and the following phases. The main objective of the 3rd phase will be the production of the 3rd United Nations World Water Development Report. The report will be launched on 22 March 2009, World Water Day, at the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey.
:: Read more
FORTHCOMING INTERNATIONAL DAYS
8 March: International Women’s day
Theme: Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls
Organizer: the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
:: Website
22 March: World Water Day
Theme: Coping with water scarcity
Organizer: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
:: Website
23 March: World Meteorological day
Theme: Polar meteorology: Understanding global impacts
Organizer: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
:: Website
WWAP NEWS
‘A dream of water’ translated to Catalan
Thanks to the UNESCO centre of Catalonia’s (UNESCOcat) kind support, the documentary film ‘A dream of water’ will be translated to Catalan and disseminated in schools and educational centres throughout Catalonia, Spain.
Expo Zaragoza financed this 58 minute Bausan Films educational documentary under the auspices of UNESCO and WWAP to raise awareness on the sustainable uses of water resources within the framework of the International Decade for Action, 'Water for Life' (2005-2015).
Progress of the UN-Water task force on IWRM monitoring and reporting
The task force was established following the UN-Water meeting in Stockholm, Sweden on 21 August 2006 with the objective of addressing monitoring and reporting of Integrated water resources management (IWRM). The members of the Task Force include: the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Water Partnership (GWP), WWAP, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNDESA). The responsibilities of the task force are the following:
- develop a set of strong indicators for IWRM monitoring
- prepare a proposal for the establishment of a formal monitoring and reporting mechanism to be tabled at the forthcoming 16th cycle of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD 16)
- prepare a joint survey report on the status of IWRM target fulfilment by CSD 16.
The 1st and 2nd rounds of tests of the questionnaire for the survey were done in WWAP case study countries, namely Argentina (part of the La Plata River Basin), Bolivia (part of Lake Titicaca Basin) and Sri Lanka. The finalized questionnaire will be presented at the next task force meeting in mid-March.
WWAP CASE STUDIES
La Plata Basin case study activities for WWAP Phase 3
WWAP’s deputy coordinator, Mr. Carlos Fernández-Jáuregui will meet with the secretary general of the Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee of La Plata Basin (CIC) on 5 and 6 March 2007 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to define future activities within the framework of the La Plata case study. These include a documentary project on the basin for international dissemination.
The La Plata Basin case study was developed during WWAP Phase 2 and provided many examples for the 2nd World Water Development Report, ‘Water, a shared responsibility’ (WWDR2, 2006). The basin is shared by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
:: Read more about the La Plata case study
Potential case study on Lake Merin Basin
WWAP’s deputy coordinator, Mr. Carlos Fernández-Jáuregui, is meeting with the water authorities of Lake Merin Basin in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 3 March 2007. Together they will discuss the possibilities of developing a basin-wide case study for WWAP Phase 3. Lake Merin Basin, covering about 6 million ha, is situated on the Atlantic coast of South America in the temperate zone and is shared between Brazil and Uruguay.
Water and sanitation in urban areas: an example from the Mongolia case study
About 60% of Mongolia’s population is classified as urban, and more than half of them live in the capital city, Ulan Bator. Ulan Bator is located in the Tuul River Basin and is home to 772,000 inhabitants, or about 32% of the country’s population, of whom 408,000 live in ger (traditional tent-like structures used by nomads) areas. Urban poverty is on the rise due to increased migration from rural areas; almost half of the poor live in urban areas and one-quarter of the urban poor live in Ulan Bator.
Virtually all ger area residents utilize on-plot, relatively poor quality, self-constructed pit latrines. Population densities are becoming too high for this approach to remain acceptable. Surface contamination is evident and groundwater contamination likely. The situation, combined with significant numbers of urban livestock, poor solid waste collection, and lack of controlled drainage, is critical. The city’s water supply depends on groundwater resources in alluvial aquifers, extending along the Tuul River bed stretching in upper Ulan Bator. Water supply shortage temporally occurs in low flow period in late April and May, when groundwater levels drop and reach their minimum level. Consequently, there are water-related health problems in the city. Out of 10,000 cases of diarrhoea every year in Mongolia, almost 70% of these cases occur in Ulan Bator. Dysentery and hepatitis are also common. These infections stem from a lack of access to safe water and sanitation infrastructure. The Municipality is attempting to meet the water demand by constructing water supply systems and to improve the service.
:: Read more about the Mongolia case study
:: Read more about the WWDR2 case studies
WWAP PARTICIPATES
28 February: Round of debates on ‘Water uses in Spanish economy: present situation and perspectives’
In collaboration with basin organisations and expert groups, the Ministry of the Environment of Spain elaborated the reports ‘Water in Spanish economy: present situation and perspectives’ and ‘Prices and costs of water services in Spain’ as part of the economic analysis of water uses within basins required by the European Union’s Water Framework Directive. The conclusions of these reports were presented during a round of debates in Madrid, Spain, on 28 February 2007.
WWAP’s deputy coordinator, Mr. Carlos Fernández-Jáuregui, participated in the roundtable on ‘Towards a new water-economy policy’. He introduced the theme of the debate within the wider context of global water resources and the challenges to be faced world-wide.
2-3 March: Preparations of the 5th International workshop on regional approaches to reservoir development and management in La Plata Basin
WWAP and several WWAP partners are participating in the preparations for this workshop, which will focus on improving the decision-making processes for the development and management of reservoirs and encouraging the participation of all the stakeholders involved in the sustainable management of La Plata River Basin.
WWAP’s deputy coordinator, Mr. Carlos Fernández-Jáuregui, will meet with representatives of La Plata Basin countries and institutions involved in the basin to organize the workshop on 2-3 March 2007 in Montevideo, Uruguay.
19-20 March: Kick-off Meeting of the 5th World Water Forum, Istanbul, Turkey
The purpose of the Kick-off meeting is to shape the 5th Forum and its two-year preparatory processes (thematic, regional and political), which will revolve around the overarching theme of ‘Bridging Divides for Water’. The meeting is jointly organized by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI), the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the World Water Council. It will take place on 19 and 20 March 2007 in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Kick-off meeting will offer an important opportunity for participants and organizers to initiate and foster cooperation in the earliest stages of the preparatory processes, which is vital for the success of the Forum. It will also enable the identification of milestones in the processes and linkages to other main water events, e.g. Stockholm World Water Week, Commission on Sustainable Development meetings, the Zaragoza 2008 International Exhibition and many others.
:: Read more
22-24 March: International congress on river basin management, Antalya, Turkey
The General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works of the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources is organizing an International Congress on river basin management to take place in Antalya, Turkey, on 22-24 March 2007. The Congress aims to create an environment for international cooperation by bringing together government representatives, international experts, public and private sector representatives, academicians and researchers to share their experience, knowledge and views on river basin management. The congress will also contribute to the preparatory process of the 5th World Water Forum (5th WWF) to be held in Istanbul, Turkey in March 2009.
Mr. Carlos Fernández-Jáuregui, WWAP Deputy coordinator, and Mr. Engin Koncagül, WWAP Case studies programme officer, will represent WWAP during the congress and take part in the preparations. Mr. Koncagül will speak on Hydrologic networks and water resources management during the 1st session of the congress on ‘Basin resources protection’.
:: Read more
Progress on the design of the bridge pavilion exhibit on ‘Water, a unique resource’
The ‘Water, a unique resource’ bridge-pavilion exhibit is being designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, following WWAP’s conceptual script. The first phase of the script has been completed, and the creative team will submit the executive project to Expo Zaragoza in April 2007.
The main objectives of the exhibit are to introduce water as a human right, to explain the uniqueness of water as a resource to a wide audience, and to explain the processes of water governance while encouraging the public to get involved.
:: Read more
WWAP PARTNERS
1 March 2007: Opening of the International Polar Year 2007-8
The International Polar Year (IPY) is a large scientific programme focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic, coordinated by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In order to have full and equal coverage of both the Arctic and the Antarctic, IPY 2007-8 covers two full annual cycles from March 2007 to March 2009 and will involve over 200 projects, with thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examining a wide range of physical, biological and social research topics.
IPY occurs amidst abundant evidence of changes in snow and ice, which will have a global impact. For example changes in the large ice sheets will impact global sea level, affecting coastal cities and low-lying areas. Changes in snowfall and shrinkage of glaciers will influence millions of people whose daily use of water for personal consumption or for agriculture depends on snowpack and glacial sources. Changes in sea ice combined with enhanced river inputs of freshwater will lead to substantial changes in ocean circulation.
The official opening ceremony to launch International Polar Year 2007-2008 will take place in Paris, France on 1 March 2007.
:: IPY website
:: Launch events
20 February: 6th permanent forum on ‘Functionality of basins. Elements towards their recovery and sustainable management’
The Water Platform, which is one of Expo Zaragoza 2008’s main pillars, organized a 6th permanent forum on water and sustainability under the theme of basins’ functionality on 20 February 2007 in Zaragoza, Spain.
The objective of the forum was to analyze what is understood by basins’ functionality and to outline basin planning, management and restoration in an innovative way so as to optimize the functionalities of water as a habitat and a resource that interacts continuously with various ecosystems.
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International children’s art competition ‘we can end poverty’
Inadequate access to water forms a central part of people's poverty, affecting their basic needs, health, food security and basic livelihoods. Improving the access of poor people to water has the potential to make a major contribution towards poverty eradication. As part of the activities to celebrate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and the end of the First Decade for the Eradication of Poverty, the Division for Social Policy and Development at the United Nations invites children from all over the world from age 5 to 15 years to participate in an art competition on the theme ‘We can end poverty’.
The best 6 designs selected by the Panel of Judges will be presented during the commemoration of the Day, on 17 October 2007, and will be issued as stamps of the United Nations Postal Administration. All entries must be sent no later then 30 June 2007.
:: Read more
New reference material available for World Water Day 2007
'Coping with Water Scarcity' is the theme for World Water Day 2007 (WWD2007), which will be celebrated on 22 March under the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This year's theme highlights the increasing significance of water scarcity worldwide and the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources, both at international and local levels.
FAO has just launched the official WWD2007 brochure to serve as a reference for those who would like to know more about water scarcity issues and would like to get involved in WWD2007. The Day’s website also provides information on events organized on the day, slideshows, videos and other resources.
:: Brochure [PDF format – 4.2 MB]
:: World Water Day 2007 website
Evidence of human-caused global warming «unequivocal», says IPCC
According to the first major global assessment of climate change science since 2001, which was launched by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 2 February 2007, changes in the atmosphere, the oceans and glaciers and ice caps show unequivocally that the world is warming. The report, titled ‘Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis’, also confirms that the marked increase in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) since 1750 is the result of human activities.
The report describes an accelerating transition to a warmer world marked by more extreme temperatures including heat waves, new wind patterns, worsening drought in some regions, heavier precipitation in others, melting glaciers and Arctic ice and rising global average sea levels. For the first time, the report provides evidence that the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland are slowly losing mass and contributing to sea level rise. The Summary for policy-makers was launched on 2 February 2007 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
:: Full press release
:: Summary for policy-makers [PDF format – 2.2 MB]
FACTS AND FIGURES ON WATER IN MONGOLIA
- Mongolia has an annual precipitation of 230 mm, about 90% of which is lost to evapotranspiration. Of the remaining 10%, 37% infiltrates into the soil while 63% turns into surface runoff. Almost 95% of the surface runoff component flows out of the country.
- There are approximately 3,500 lakes in Mongolia with a total surface area of about 15,600 km², about 54% of which is located in the Gobi region, mainly in the form of small shallow or salty lakes. As a consequence of human activities, many of these lakes are now severely depleted or dry.
- Growing urbanization and the mining industry have significantly polluted surface and groundwater resources, which has had a significant impact on associated ecosystems. Overuse of groundwater resources and climate change has led to lowering of the groundwater table, which has consequently caused some springs, lakes and their associated ecosystems to dry up. The Tuul River Basin covers only 3.19% of the country’s territory, but is home to more than half of the country’s population.
- Although the population has doubled since 1960, the average population density- 1.5 persons per square kilometre – remains the lowest in the world. Still, this density is highly variable, ranging from a high of 180 persons per square kilometre in capital city Ulan Bator.
- Forty percent of the population lacks access to safe water resources and only 25% of the population has adequate access to sanitation facilities. Clearly, poverty is one of the main reasons. Average per capita water consumption in Mongolia is very low. The average water consumption of populations living in gers (the traditional tent-like structures used by nomads) districts of big settlements is around 10 litres per person per day, far from being enough to meet sanitary requirements.
- Out of 10,000 cases of diarrhoea every year in Mongolia, almost 70% of these cases occur in Ulan Bator. Dysentery and hepatitis are also common. These infections stem from a lack of access to safe water and sanitation infrastructure.
- Mongolia’s pricing policy is decentralized; local authorities are entitled to set up and revise the water tariffs.
- The rate for gers consumers, similar to small businesses, is 84 times higher than for industries and mining companies. As a result, those with the lowest income pay the highest and consume the least.
:: Facts and figures taken from the 2nd United Nations World Water Development Report, 'Water, a shared responsibility' (WWDR2, 2006) and from the case study on Mongolia with special reference to the Tuul River Basin (under preparation).
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