EMWIS Flash n°133 - March/April 2017
Released | 02/05/2017 |
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EMWIS Flash
- March / April 2017 |
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In
this issue N°133 (http://www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash133)
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HEADLINE
1-
Ministerial
Meeting of the European Union and Mediterranean Water Ministries
2-
Feedback from the 6th Beirut Water Week , March 2017
3- Mediterranean Water Knowledge Platform: regional training on water
information systems
4- ENI-SEIS II South Regional Workshop on Indicators, 17-18 May
2017
5- 7th technical meeting of 5+5 process on water, Valencia, 30-31 Mach
2017
6- The 3rd Mediterranean Water Forum to be launched in Monaco on 11
July 2017
7- Commission fosters research and innovation dialogue with 10 (5+5)
western Mediterranean countries from the EU and north Africa
8- New FAO tool: Using real-time satellite
data to track water productivity in agriculture
9- European Commission seeks cities’ advice on water strategy
10- EU to work with Mediterranean partners on research and
innovation
11- Environment & climate week in Barcelona: UfM Working Groups
meet to take action against climate and environment change in the
Mediterranean
12- In the Mediterranean, no Climate-Smart Agriculture without
Climate-Smart Policies
13- UfM on World Water Day: addressing water scarcity in the
Mediterranean
14- Plastic chip detects waterborne viruses
15- WEAM4i Successful Final Workshop: the Water Energy Food Nexus at
farm level
16-1st PRIMA stakeholders' forum on research and
innovation in the Mediterranean, Egypt 23-24 April 2017
17- Meet experts from the tourism and environmental sectors at
demEAUmed Final Conference, May 18th 2017, Barcelona
18- SWOS project participation to the workshop of the GEO Initiative
on Earth Observation for Ecosystem Accounting
19- Training session on Satellite observation for wetland and water
management using SWOS product, May 2017, Rabat
20- VISCA: a smart climate application for Vineyards kicks off in May
2017
21- Jordan: Region’s water sector facing ‘brain drain’
22- Jordan can reduce agricultural water use by a third, research
finds
23- The Cost of irrigation water in the Jordan Valley: Significant
cost savings through energy efficiency programs
24- Spain: Danone to invest in sustainable wastewater system
25- 9th national agriculture conference in Meknes: Spain & Morocco
could manage together water stress
26- Palestine: UNICEF seawater desalination plant helps head off Gaza
water crisis
27- France: 114M euros invested for water in the 1st quarter of
2017 in the Rhone-Mediterranean and Corsica basins
28- Tunisia: Alarming Water Situation in 2017
29- Cyprus: Competitive tender
for a desalination plant in Kouklia
30- Southern Turkey could be transformed into North Africa in 2100
31- Germany, Switzerland back Albania's water sector with 47M euros
financing
32- Morocco: Marrakech Museum on water
33- Morocco: New structure of the government, water resources
management is now under the Ministry of equipment,transport, logistics
and water
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HEADLINE
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1-
The UfM Ministerial Meeting on Water held in Malta on 27 April 2017,
called for the preparation of a UfM Water Agenda to enhance regional
cooperation towards sustainable and integrated water management in the
Mediterranean. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Hazim El Naser,
Minister of Water and Irrigation from Jordan and H.E. Karmenu Vella,
EU Commissioner in charge of Environment. The water agenda aims to
build a holistic approach for water in the Med coordinated with other
regional activities in particular blue economy, Sustainable urban
agenda, Research and Innovation through PRIMA, Sea de-pollution,
climate change and environment. The declaration adopted highlights the
need for: operational and innovative partnerships, a financial
strategy, better coordination between regional and sub-regional
initiatives and a mechanism to provide strategic guidance for this
agenda. The UfM Water Expert Group was proposed to prepare this agenda
and the related action plan. A list of key topics was provided as
potential issues to be tackled by the water agenda. A regional
workshop on the financing of the water sector was organised back to
back to the ministerial meeting. It initiated a task-force to prepare
a financing strategy by the end of 2017. Further information on EMWIS website
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IN BRIEF (Full
news)
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2- The 6th Beirut Water Week was organized by the Lebanese
Ministry of Energy and Water from 27 to 29 March, 2017, around the
theme "After COP22, what governance for the Water Energy Food Nexus".
Various sessions and roundtables was tackled: Water Energy Food
security; vulnerability of infrastructures in particular dams; private
sector investments and financial instruments for PPP looking at the
experience of the energy sector as well as lessons from public and
private banks; role of international organizations in transnational
cooperation; technological tools and water information systems for
climate change adaptation. For this last theme, EMWIS presented
the Mediterranean water knowledge platform and the first lessons on
institutional settings necessary for the successful governance of
national water information systems. Finally the conclusions of the
conference "Hydrodiplomacy and climate change for peace in the Middle
East: Case of the Jordan River Basin" held last December at Paris
Senat was presented by French Senator Olivier Cadic. Presentations available for download on EMWIS
website
3-
The Mediterranean Water Knowledge Platform received the label of the
43 countries of the Union for the Mediterranean in 2014. It aims to
provide a common basis for the development of National Water
Information Systems (NWIS) and to deliver an assessment of water
resources management and use (drafting of a White Paper) by exploiting
data from the NWIS. The project has been promoted as a tool for the
adaptation of the water sector to climate change at the last COP in
Marrakech. Based on the first results of NWIS implementation in the 4
pilot countries of the platform (Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and
Lebanon), as well as experience of EU countries, a regional training
workshop will be organised by EMWIS and the International Office for
Water (IOWater) from 14 to 16 June in Sophia Antipolis (near Nice,
France). Representatives from South Mediterranean countries interested
in Water Information Systems will be invited. A particular attention
will be given to SINEAU, the Tunisian NWIS that was delivered last
December. The workshop is organised thanks to the support of the
French Ministry in charge of Environment for the Platform, as it is
one of the projects of Pact of Paris. Another workshop focusing on
exchange of experiences and financing NWIS, will be organised after
summer with the secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean.
Further information on EMWIS website
4-
The first Regional Workshop on indicators and assessment under the
ENI-SEIS II South Support Mechanism Project will take place on 17-18
May 2017 in Copenhagen, Denmark. This Support Mechanism managed by the
European Environment Agency (EEA) focuses on the implementation of the
Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) principles and
practices in the ENP South region (ENI SEIS II South). Participants
will review the proposal for a core set of Mediterranean indicators
prepared by the ad hoc Working Group on indicators set-up after the
joint meeting of ENI SEIS II South Steering Committee and the Horizon
2020 Review and Monitoring Group held in Athens in December 2016. This
workshop will address the needed refinement of the H2020 review
mechanism to take into account other assessment processes and further
develop the current H2020 set of indicators to reflect the renewed
scope of the H2020 priorities applicable to all Mediterranean
countries, in coherence with EEA Core Set of Indicators and
MEDPOL/NAPs indicators. A second workshop – planned to take place
mid-September 2017 will look more into details of the indicators
methodological aspects (factsheets) and to the draft outline of the
H2020 assessment. Further information on EMWIS website
5-
The 7th technical working group meeting of the Western Mediterranean
process on water was held in Valencia on 30-31 March with the
technical support of the MENBO at CHJ. After the ministerial agreement
on the Action Plan of the Water Strategy for the Western Mediterranean
(WSWM), the objective of this meeting was to work on the practical
implementation of the Action Plan. The meeting was divided into 2
parts: 1. A progress review on the action plan and proposals for
activities for 2017-2018 based on contributions from countries and
observers; a thematic technical session on urban water management when
EMWIS presented a state of play in the Mediterranean based on the
water workshop organised with the Euromed cities network in Nice in
November 2016 and the collaborative platform on Mediterranean
Sustainable Cities. Further information on EMWIS website
6-
The 8th World Water Forum will be held in Brasilia on 18-23 March
2018. The Regional Process dedicated to the Mediterranean Region is
coordinated by IME and UfM secretariat. To prepare this process and
the Mediterranean contribution to the WWF8, the 3rd Mediterranean
Water Forum will be organised at the end of 2017 or early 2018. This
Forum will be launched in Monaco on 11 July 2017. The key topics have
been identified so far: Water and Climate change mitigation;
Integrated sanitation for all; Water for Energy; Treatment and reuse
technologies; Managing and restoring ecosystems for water services and
biodiversity; and Finance for sustainable development. Further
information on EMWIS website
7-
Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation,
joined on 31 March 2017 in Tunisia the Forum for the Dialogue in the
Western Mediterranean, referred to as the "5+5 Dialogue". With
ministers and high level ministerial representatives responsible for
research and higher education from the countries participating to this
sub-regional forum (Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania,
Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia), as well as the Secretaries
General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Arab Maghreb
Union (AMU), they discussed ways of deepening cooperation in research
and innovation. During his visit, Commissioner Moedas had also a
high-level bilateral meetings with Slim Khalbous, Tunisian Minister
for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Fadhel Abdelkefi,
Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation, and
Fatallah Sijilmassi, the Secretary General of the Union for the
Mediterranean. Further information on EMWIS website
8- Measuring how efficiently water is used in agriculture,
particularly in water-scarce countries, is going high-tech with the
help of a new tool developed by FAO. The WaPOR open-access database
has gone live, tapping satellite data to help farmers achieve more
reliable agricultural yields and allowing for the optimization of
irrigation systems. WaPOR was presented on 20 April 2017 in Rome
during a high-level partners meeting for FAO's Coping
with water scarcity in agriculture: a global framework for action in
a changing climate. It allows for fine-grained analysis of water
utilised through farming systems, generating empirical evidence about
how it can be most productively used. Further information on EMWIS website
9-
Around 20 cities will be selected by the European Commission to share
their technical expertise and strategic advice on the
Commission’s Urban
Water Agenda 2030. The agenda aims to build on the capacities
and political leadership of local governments to advance sustainable
water management in Europe. The Commission is looking to work with
cities in accelerating the implementation of EU water policies and
legislation, such as the EU Water Framework Directive and the Floods
Directive. Following a tender procedure, ICLEI-local
governments for sustainability, and EUROCITIES,
the Brussels-based city network, were selected by the European
Commission to participate alongside the cities. The core group of
cities chosen will be regularly consulted on matters between April and
October 2017. The consultation includes one face-to-face workshop in
May 2017. Further information on EMWIS website
10- On 11 April 2017, the Maltese Presidency of the Council of
European Union struck a provisional deal with the European Parliament
on the participation of the EU in a partnership to develop innovative
solutions for sustainable water provision and management and food
production in the Mediterranean region. The initiative, known
as PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the
Mediterranean Area), will pool the know-how and financial resources of
the EU and participating states. The partnership currently involves
nine member states: Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy,
Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal; and six non-EU countries: Egypt,
Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia. The EU's participation
will include a contribution of 220 million euros from its Framework
Programme for research and innovation, the "Horizon 2020" Programme."The
PRIMA partnership will help improve the health and livelihoods of
those living in the Mediterranean region. It is also expected to
encourage economic growth and stability in the longer-term," said
Chris Agius, the Maltese Parliamentary Secretary. "Today's
agreement in just one trilogue meeting means that PRIMA can be
operational in early 2018, as planned."
The presidency will submit the outcome of the talks for approval by
member states in the coming weeks.
Press release. PRIMA
first phase will focus on Agrofood systems and water management.
Further information on EMWIS website
11-
The UfM
Working Group on Environment and Climate Change
met on 14-15 March in Barcelona
to review the progress made in the implementation
of the UfM Ministerial Declaration on Environment and
Climate Change adopted in May 2014 in Athens. Discussions
focused on the topics prioritised by the Declaration, namely
depollution and pollution prevention, including the H2020 initiative for a Cleaner Mediterranean,
sustainable consumption and production, climate change, as well as
marine protected areas, avifauna, eco-cities, integrated maritime
policy/blue economy and education for sustainable development. Further
information on EMWIS website
12-
The latest IPCC report indicates that in the Mediterranean, global
warming already has and will have the impacts of reducing agricultural
outputs, increasing extreme risks (droughts, heatwaves…) and
significantly intensifying evapotranspiration: this means, for
example, that there is a greater need for water for crops, including
in irrigated systems, whereas the groundwater levels and river flows
are declining in an erratic manner. In order to meet the challenges of
mitigation and, especially, climate change adaptation, Mediterranean
agriculture needs to undergo a transformation. Actors in the field are
already in the process of addressing this challenge. However, it
cannot be fully addressed without an adjustment of public agricultural
policies. Further information on EMWIS website
13-
There is great potential to reuse treated wastewater in the
Mediterranean region as currently only around 1% of it is recycled.
The Mediterranean region is one of the areas in the world most
vulnerable to climate change as well as one of the most impacted by
human water demand, where more than 180 million people are affected by
water poverty and an additional 60 million face water stress to some
degree. These figures highlight the scale of the challenge faced by
the countries in the region. In line with this year’s World Water Day
focus on wastewater, it is timely to recall that several of these
challenges refer directly to water resource depletion and urban
wastewater management in a region where the urban population has tripled in half a
century. The UfM is helping to address this challenge by driving
forward a renewed urban development agenda in which these issues play
a central role. Further information on EMWIS website
14-
Waterborne viral diseases pose a serious threat to public health
around the world. An EU-funded consortium has therefore developed an
advanced, reliable nanotechnology-based sensor that can rapidly detect
pathogens in water, thereby enabling better monitoring of water
quality. Urban wastewater contains large numbers of human
pathogenic viruses, which cannot be completely removed by even the
most advanced wastewater treatments. Furthermore, conventional
biological water quality indicators are both time consuming and labour
intensive, and do not provide adequate information about the presence
of pathogenic viruses. These challenges have been addressed by the
project AQUAVIR (Portable automated water
analyser for viruses). The consortium, comprising 14 partners from 8
European countries, set out to develop a prototype virus sensor system
for monitoring rotavirus, norovirus and hepatitis A virus in various
types of water meant for human use. 'The virus monitoring system is
intended to detect virus particles in a concentrated water sample on
the basis of an electrical readout. Measurement data can then be sent
to a monitoring station', says Dr Noemi Rozlosnik, the coordinator of
AQUAVIR. 'The system consists of a "Water sampling and filtering unit"
(WSFU) and a "concentration and measuring system" (CMS), which
includes a virus concentration unit (VCU) and a virus detection unit
(VDU). Further information on EMWIS website
15-
On April 6th 2017, WEAM4i Final Workshop was held in Barcelona to
present the results of the project and its success case studies where
water and energy efficiency solutions for irrigation were demonstrated
on farms in Portugal, Spain and Germany. The consortium also developed
synergies with the different projects and initiatives working on the
Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus. During the event, the achievements of
WEAM4i smart tools which lead to better efficiency in irrigation – of
both Water and Energy – were illustrated. The event was joined by
around 60 different stakeholders from the irrigation communities as
well as water and energy sectors across Europe. Photos and
presentations are available on WEAM4i
website
16-
The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Egypt, Ambassador
Ivan Surkos and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research,
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghafar opened on 23 April 2017 the 1st PRIMA
Stakeholders' Forum. The event aims at engaging stakeholders to open
channels of information exchange and raising awareness about PRIMA.
"We believe that international cooperation in science and innovation –
one of the strategic objectives of the EU – is essential in the quest
for better science, better application of knowledge, and better
socio-economic conditions for humanity," said Ambassador Ivan Surkos.
Mr. Surkos highlighted the strong cooperation between
researchers from the Mediterranean region over the past years, stating
that the EU framework programmes have been instrumental in pushing
forward collaborative work in research and innovation. He referred to
the EU programme, Horizon 2020 (H2020) launched in 2014, which is the
largest and most open research and innovation programme in the world.
"Currently, under H2020, more than 100 entities from South
Mediterranean partner countries, including Egypt, are involved in
ongoing research and innovation projects." In April 2017, 15
countries, including Egypt, have agreed to jointly undertake PRIMA
initiative. It is major programme with an expected budget of close to
EUR 400 million committed by participating countries and the EU. You
can express your priorities in the public
survey on Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA).
Further information 4Prima
wbesite
17-
demEAUmed Final Conference will be held in Barcelona on the May
18th 2017 where results, benefits and opportunities of demEAUmed
technologies in managing, treating and recycling water will be
presented and discussed. Various keynote speakers will attend the
event representing organisations such as Suez Environnement, CTM, the
University of Girona, Sweedish Environment Institute IVL, Robinson
hospitality club, the Gremi Hotels of Barcelona, Melia Hotels
International, the African Water Facility, CEDEX, the European
Commission Joint Research Centre, and the demEAUmed partners. One of
the aims of the conference is to involve different stakeholders to
demonstrate and promote innovative technologies to reduce the impact
of tourism sector on the environment. Hotel owners will be able to use
the developed Decision Support System (DSS) to assess how much water
savings they could achieve as well as the associated environmental
impacts. Furthermore, the private sector will have the chance to
discuss with the technology providers the possible exploitation
opportunities. Further information on demEUAmed
website
18-The
University of Malaga represented the Satellite Wetland Observation
Service (SWOS project) at the Earth Observation for Ecosystem
Accounting (EO4EA) workshop of the GEO Initiative that took place at
the European Environment Agency (EEA) premises in Copenhagen, Denmark
on 27-29 March 2017. SWOS presentation was focused on
types of Satellite imagery used and the types of products and
indicators under development by the project. The presentation was of
high interest as it described through specific examples on how the
SWOS project results could contribute to fill to the main data needs
and gaps raised by the Ecosystem Accounting community at different
levels. In the Q/A session, several questions were raised about the
possibility of accessing SWOS products. Further, the SWOS toolbox and
its use was explained as well as the GEO-Wetlands initiative that SWOS
heavily contributes to. Further information on SWOS
wbesite
19-
Tour du Valat, EMWIS and Wetland International are organising a 3 days
training session in Rabat Morocco from 22 to 24 May 2017. The purpose
is to train French speaking users coming mainly from Maghreb and West
African countries (Algeria, Mali, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia) on how
to use earth observation for wetland and water monitoring, based on
the products developed by SWOS project. The training will cover:
Satellite data acquisition; using SWOS GEOclassifier for maps
production on Land Use Land Cover and Surface Water Dynamics; using
SWOS nomenclature systems; how to derive indicators from maps;
introducing other innovative mapping approaches for water dynamics
mapping and potential wetlands delineation; and finally how to
organize the field validation. Further information on SWOS
wbesite
20-
Climate change is threatening different varieties of agriculture
species; the wine-grapes are especially sensitive to subtle
differences in micro-climate impacts causing changes in the crops
(i.e. decrease of the grape quality and quantity, changes in alcohol,
acid, sugar, etc.) which directly affects the European wine industry.
VISCA (“Vineyards´ Integrated Smart Climate Application”) is a new
R&D project co-funded under the Horizon 2020 programme for a
period of 3 years. The project will hold its kick-off meeting on May
10th-11th 2017 in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Spain. VISCA consortium is led
by Meteosim and is composed of 11 members from different fields
including end-users (Codorniu, Mastroberardino and Symington).
VISCA will provide a Climate Service (CS) and Decision Support System
(DSS) that integrates climate, agricultural and end-users´
specifications in order to design medium- and long-term adaptation
strategies to climate change. The project will be validated by real
demonstrations with end-users, who are included in the consortium, on
three demo sites in Spain, Italy and Portugal. EMWIS is in
chargeof communication and dissemination activities as well as
data management support. Further information on EMWIS
website
21-
Instability in some Arab countries has driven trained and qualified
people out of the water sector, causing a deficiency in the management
of water utilities, an expert on water-demand management said on 13
March 2017 in Amman. Besides water scarcity and limited financial
resources, water utilities in Arab countries are now facing the new
challenge of a brain drain, according to Khaldoun Khashman, secretary
general of the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA).
Even if water and financial resources were available, managing water
utilities in the absence of skilled and qualified people is a
challenge, Khashman told reporters at a press conference to announce
the fourth Arab Water Week, which will be held at the Dead Sea next
week.“It is time for donors to think of the future of water utilities
management in Arab countries witnessing conflicts,” he said, proposing
programmes to train and qualify skilled immigrants in the management
of water utilities. Further information on EMWIS website
22-
Current crop production could be achieved with 30 per cent less use of
agricultural water, according to the findings of new research. An
analysis on water and food security in Jordan indicated that there is
potential for policies that reduce agricultural water needs, while
still maintaining current levels of crop production. The research is
part of a project funded by the British Council and led by researchers
at the University of Oxford’s Institute for Science, Innovation and
Society, in partnership with the WANA Institute and EcoPeace. The
report said that while Jordan has already demonstrated considerable
gains in agricultural water productivity, there is potential for
further progress. Focusing on ways to increase water productivity in
the Kingdom, the research studied how other countries managed to
increase their agricultural production without putting too much
pressure on water resources, while exploring the potential for these
methods to be applied in Jordan and Palestine. While the agriculture
sector consumes the majority of water resources, its contribution to
gross domestic product is low compared to other sectors. Through the
study of the Kingdom’s food import trends, the research suggested the
possibility of strategically increasing imports of certain crops,
without significantly impacting Jordan’s food security. Researchers
used data on agricultural production and water application to assess,
as national averages, water needs per one tonne of food production,
looking at 14 key crops including bananas, dates, olives and tomatoes.
The analysis also showed that the current targets for
treated-wastewater use in agriculture are approaching levels of
regional best practices. Further information on EMWIS website
23-
Over the last 6 years, Jordan has seen a decline of its agricultural
sector productivity as a result of prolonged cycles of negative growth
and a decrease of productivity per worker. Regional conflict has also
curtailed Jordan’s export opportunities substantially. The Cost of
Irrigation Water in the Jordan Valley, a Water Partnership Program funded report,
looks at innovative ways to better manage water in agriculture in one
of the world’s most water-stressed countries. The study looks at ways
to improve irrigation services delivered by the Jordan Valley
Authority, and efficiency of water use across different cropping
patterns. It also reviews mechanisms to improve financial cost
recovery, through reducing costs and increasing revenues, to manage
farmers’ demand for water. Findings reveal that significant cost
savings can be made through a larger focus on energy efficiency
programs and better asset management. Further information on EMWIS website
24-
Danone will invest 2 million euros during the next three years
in a new wastewater system at its dairy plant in Tres Cantos, Spain.
The investment will allow the facility to increase its water autonomy
to 80%, a new step to become self-sufficient at the site north
of Madrid. The move will make the Tres Cantos factory more economical
with its water usage – currently, it uses 800 cubic meteres of water
every day to support capacity of 4 million yogurts and custards. The
new wastewater system will capture residual water from the factory’s
activities, storing it and preparing it for reuse later on. After
being filtered and purified, the water will be reused for
purposes including cleaning, with the 80% water autonomy being phased
in over the coming three years. “This is an innovative and pioneering
project for the company with an ambitious goal – to be largely
self-sufficient in our water needs,” explained Tres Cantos factory
manager Alexandre Biau. “Our challenge is, and will continue
to be, to carry out our operations with maximum efficiency and
sustainability.” Further information on EMWIS website
25- Spanish minister of agriculture, food and environment Isabel
Garcia Tejerina said she is confident in the capacity of her country
and Morocco to manage together the problem of water stress, in her
opening speech for the 9th national agriculture conference which put
water at the centre of food security. In a statement to Moroccan
Agency Press, on the sidelines of the 9th national agriculture
conference, held on 17 April in Meknès, the Spanish official voiced
her pride and joy to be attending this event, for the third year in a
row, to discuss a crucial theme which is water and its relation with
food security, adding that the water issue is a challenge for Africa
and the whole world. Together with her Moroccan peer Aziz Akhannouch
is looking for joint measures and solutions to ensure an optimization
of water resources for agriculture development. Further information on EMWIS
website
26-
Water resources have long been critically scarce in the Gaza Strip,
and the situation is getting beyond dire. A new seawater desalination
plant is providing safe tap water to communities that previously
bought or imported their drinking water. In January, UNICEF and
partners completed the construction of a €10 million seawater
desalination plant funded by the European Union. It will initially
produce 6,000 cubic metres of safe drinking water a day, providing it
to 75,000 people living in the southern Gaza Strip – about 35,000
people in Khan Younis and 40,000 people in Rafah. Further information
on EMWIS website
27-
The Rhone-Mediterranean and Corsica Water Agency (France) has
allocated 114 million euros in aid during the first quarter of 2017 to
finance 1,826 projects for drinking water conservation, restoring
aquatic environments and fight against domestic, industrial and
agricultural pollution. Almost half of the budget ( 54 million euros)
has been allocated to the domestic pollution reduction and drinking
water improvement operations carried out by the local authorities.
Further information on EMWIS
website
28-
In Tunisia the water crisis will be more acute in 2017.
According to Tunisian experts, disturbances and cuts in drinking
water supply that occurred in most of the Tunisian regions during the
summer 2016, are likely to happen again in summer 2017. They
consider that "with 419 m3 per capita / year, Tunisia is in a
situation of absolute water shortage, a chronic situation that was
accentuated in recent years by climate change effects,
increasing needs but also by the deterioration of drinking water
supply infrastructures of the National water utility (SONEDE).
According to SONEDE, 42% of its pipes are more than 25 years old
and must be replaced. Further information on EMWIS website
29-
The Cyprus government approved the construction of the new facility in
Kouklia on the site of a temporary plant built in 2010, which is
currently being dismantled. The proposed new plant will be secured on
a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis, and will have a capacity of
15,000 m3/d. The decision met with protests by farmers who fear that
they will face reduced water supply in the intervening years before
the new plant is completed. Cyprus wants to reduce its reliance on
rain-dependent water sources in readiness for possible future drought.
The temporary plant was constructed following an extended drought
during 2008, but has rarely been used. Further information on EMWIS website
30-
The Director General of Water Management at the Turkish Ministry of
Forests and Water, Professor Kinaci noted during a meeting held in
Antalia on 12 April 2017 that a project plan is
underway to improve sustainable management of the country's water
resources. He talked about the climate and environmental forecasts in
Turkey and said that the environment in southern Turkey could be
transformed into North Africa in 2100. In this context, he announced
the management of water resources planning at river basins level which
is, for him, the last step of good water management. "Basin management
affects many activities," he said. It influences urbanization,
industrialization, land use, and social and economic activities. The
plan aims to explain how to use water resources according to quantity,
quality and basin " Professor Kinaci added that planning has started
in the framework of a European Union (EU) project, and will be
accomplished in the current year. Further information on EMWIS website
31- Albania's transport ministry said on 19 April 2017 it
has signed financial agreements worth about 47 million euro with
Germany and Switzerland to support water supply and sewerage projects
in eight cities. The investment will make it possible for the towns of
Delvina, Kucova, Berat, Gjirokastra, Lushnja, Prrenjas, Kamzez and
Librazhd to be supplied with water 24 hours a day, according to a
statement from the ministry. The German government will participate
with 35 million euro loan and a 2 million euro grant, whereas the
Swiss government will back the projects with a grant of 10.4 million
euro. Further information on EMWIS website
32-
The museum Mohamed VI for the water civilization will opened to the
public on 2 May 2017. With a surface of 20.000 m2, this cultural
center on water presents the tangible and intangible aspects of
indigenous water knowledge in Morocco. It will be a reference tool for
schools, universities and international research centers to promote
the water culture among the society. Further information on EMWIS website
33-
The handover ceremony between Mr. Abdelkader AMARA, Mr. Mohamed SAJID,
Ms. Charafat YADRI AFILAL, Mr. Mohamed Najib BOULIF and Mr. Mohamed
BOUSSAID, was held on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at the headquarters of
the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water. Mr.
Abdelkader AMARA, the new Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics
and Water, recalled the technical nature of the Ministry, which places
it at the heart of the dynamic that Morocco is experiencing through
the definition of multiannual strategies and structuring projects for
the country. Ms Charafat YADRI AFILAL, Secretary of State to the
Minister of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water in charge of
Water, shared his satisfaction about the return of the
hydraulics sector within the Ministry and on the other hand
highlighted the challenge to meet the water needs in Morocco. Further
information on EMWIS
website
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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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34-
Two open positions at the Valencia Branch Office: your chance to join
the ENI CBC Med Programme. The ENI CBC Med Programme’s Branch Office
for the Western Mediterranean, hosted by the Generalitat Valenciana
(Spain), is looking to fill the following positions: 1- Coordinator of
the Branch Office; 2- Junior officer. Further information on EMWIS website
35-
PRIMA-IS DIRECTOR OPEN CALL: The Partnership on Research and
Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) is to be established on
the basis of Article 185 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union by more than 16 Participating States from both shores
of the Mediterranean and the European Commission. PRIMA aims to
support common innovative solutions and promote their adoption for
improving the efficiency and sustainability of agro-food systems and
integrated water management and provision in the Mediterranean area.
The PRIMA Programme will be implemented through an ad-hoc structure, a
Foundation under Spanish Law. Such structure will face an ex-ante
assessment from July to October, made by an external audit company.
The current vacancy is for the Director position of PRIMA foundation.
Further information on EMWIS
website
36-
Mr. Aziz Akhannouch was appointed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on
April 5, 2017, Minister
of Agriculture, Maritime Fishing, Rural Development and Forestry.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries since 2007, Mr. Akhannouch holds
a degree in marketing from the University of Sherbrooke-Canada. He is
president of the AKWA group, which includes some fifty companies. He
also served as president of the regional council of Souss-Massa-Draa
from 2003 to 2007. Mr. Akhannouch is also a member of the office of
the General Confederation of Moroccan Companies (CGEM). He was also a
member of the Reflection Group with the late SM Hassan II until 1999,
the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection and member of
the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Prisoners. On
October 29, 2016, Mr. Akhannouch was elected by a majority vote of the
National Rally of Independents (RNI) party.Further information on EMWIS website
37-
Morocco, 5th April 2017 : Mr. Hamou Ouheli was appointed
Secretary of State to the Minister of Agriculture, Marine Fisheries,
Rural Development, Water and Forests, in charge of Rural
Development, Water and Forests. From March 1998 to
September 2000, Ouheli was the Secretary of State to the
Minister of Social Development, Solidarity, Employment and Vocational
Training, responsible for solidarity and humanitarian action. In 2002
he was appointed member of the Advisory Council on Human Rights
(CCDH). Expert in national and international organizations, he is one
of the founders of the Maghreb Union of Veterinary associations, and
he was its first Secretary General. Further information on EMWIS website
38-
Morocco: Mr. Aziz Rebbah was appointed Minister of Energy,
Mines and Sustainable Development. Mrs Nezha El Ouafi was appointed
Secretary of State in charge of Sustainable Development. Further
information on EMWIS website
39-
Guillaume Choisy was appointed General Director of the Adour-Garonne
water agency: by order from French Minister of the Environment, Energy
and the Sea, in charge of international relations on climate, on March
23, 2017. He will succeed Laurent BERGEOT, who was the Agency
director since 2013. Guillaume CHOISY, 41 years old, holds a BTS in
agricultural systems analysis and management. Further information on EMWIS website
40-
Bertrand GALTIER was appointed General Director of the Artois Picardie
water agency: By order from the French the Minister for the
Environment, Energy and the Sea, in charge of International Relations
on Climate, dated 10 April 2017. Further information on EMWIS website
41-
The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) hosts the
prestigious ” Green
Talents – International Forum for High Potentials in Sustainable
Development” to promote the international exchange
of innovative green ideas. The award, under the patronage of Minister
Professor Johanna Wanka, honours young researchers each year. The
winners come from numerous countries and scientific disciplines and
are recognised for their outstanding achievements in making our
societies more sustainable. Selected by a high-ranking jury of German
experts the award-winners are granted unique access to the country’s
research elite. The award is open to all disciplines
as long as it is related to sustainable development. In 2017 the award
has a focus on “Sustainable
Production and Consumption” and this year’s
Science Forum, taking place in October, will integrate sustainability
hot spots in Germany related to this theme. Nevertheless, we highly
welcome applications from all (not
connected) research areas.
The competition period 2017 is open now! Apply till 23 May, 12
p.m. CEST to become a Green Talent 2017. Further
information on EMWIS website
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PUBLICATIONS
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42-
Reconciling resource uses in transboundary basins: assessment of the
water-food-energy-ecosystems nexus in the Sava River Basin: This
technical report contains results of the nexus assessment of the Sava
River Basin shared by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro,
Serbia and Slovenia that was carried out from 2014 to 2016 in the
framework of the UNECE Water Convention’s Programme of Work. The
methodology employed was developed specifically for assessing the
nexus in transboundary basins. Further information on EMWIS website
43- Territories, cities and rural facing urban sprawl and
climate change: The territories, cities and countryside face major
challenges: urban sprawl and climate change. More than half of the
world's population has been living in cities for a few years. The book
proposes an integrative approach to protect soil and water resources
and agricultural production, which are the basis for economic
development. Further information on EMWIS
website
44- New responsibility and environment publication of the French
"Annales des Mines", N°86 - April 2017 "Fresh water around the world,
how to manage this common good" has been coordinated by Pierre
Roussel, President of the International Office for Water, with
contributions from worldwide experts on the challenges of water cycle,
social and policy challenges, financial and institutional responses.
Further information on EMWIS
website
45- Global Water Leaders Announce New Model for Water Access: A new
approach to
accelerating progress
towards
the Sustainable
Development
Goals
for Water and
Sanitation has
been launched.
Made jointly by
the Global Water
Leader Group
and the
World Economic
Forum’s
Global
Agenda Council
on Water,
New Model
for Water
Access
outlines how the
problems of bad
water and sanitation
can be
solved at a lower
overall cost
than our current
inadequate
arrangements.
Further information on EMWIS
website
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CALL FOR TENDERS AND PROPOSALS
=================================================
46- Call for tenders published by the Regional environmental center on
"WATER POrT: Capacity building on water resources management in a
changing climate in Egypt". Further information on EMWIS
website
47- Pre-announcement of the third joint transnational ERANETMED
(research) call that will be co-funded by the following agencies: ANR
(France), ASRT (Egypt), BMBF (Germany), CIHEAM Bari (Int. Org.),
CNRS-L (Lebanon), DGRSDT (Algeria), HCST (Jordan), MESRSFC (Morocco),
MESRST (Tunisia), MIUR (Italy),MINECO (Spain) RPF (Cyprus), STDF
(Egypt), TUBITAK (Turkey) is now available. The call will be on focus
on fostering sustainable water management for the economic growth of
the Mediterranean region. Research teams from the countries that will
co-fund the call are eligible for funding, unless otherwise specified
in national rules of funding agencies which will be published on the
official launch of the joint call. Research teams from other countries
are eligible provided that they fund their own involvement. Launching
of the call: 15 May 2017. Deadline for submission of proposals: 14
July 2017. Further information on EMWIS
website
48-
Interreg Europe third call for project proposals: The call was open on
the 1st of March and will be closed on the 30th of June, 2017. It is
targeted at public authorities and non-profits. Projects must focus on
one of these topics: Research and innovation/ SME competitiveness/
Low-carbon economy/ Environment and resource efficiency. Further
information on EMWIS
website
49-
The ARIMNet2 Consortium is about to launch a Young Researchers Joint
Call for Transnational Agricultural Research Proposals (Expected Call
publication: June 2017).Further information on EMWIS
website
50-
Call for projects, French Rhone-Mediterranean and Corsica water agency
: saving water in agriculture. The water agency is launching a call
for projects to encourage farmers to save water by modernizing their
water infrastructure and implementing water-saving technologies.
With a budget of 5 million euros, it is open for
2017 as part of the calls for projects of the regional rural
development programs (RDPs). Further information on EMWIS website
51-
ERA-NET GeoERA launches its first call for transnational
projects: With a total budget of 36 million euros, the
two-stage GeoERA call will close on 7 June 2017 (stage 1: project
ideas) and 12 January 2018 (stage 2: proposals). The GeoERA call
brings together 51 organization partners from 33 European
countries. The call has four themes: 1. Geoenergy; 2. groundwater; 3.
raw materials; 4. information platforms. Further information on EMWIS website
52-
Call for projects from the Rhone-Mediterranean and Corsica Water
Agency: manage water and sanitation skills at the right level. The
water agency is calling for projects to support local authorities on
all matters related to the transfer of competences and structuring
water and sanitation services in the context of implementation of the
law "NOTRe". With a budget of 10 million euros, it is opened until 29
June 2018. The projects will be financed up to 80%. Further
information on EMWIS website
53-
Programme ENI CBC Med, a call for standard projects is expected in
June 2017, with different priorities including: Support sustainable
initiatives aimed at finding innovative and technological solutions to
increase water efficiency and encourage use of non-conventional water
supply; Reduce municipal waste generation and promote source-separated
collection and the optimal exploitation of its organic
component; Incorporate the Ecosystem-Based management approach to
ICZM into local development planning, through the improvement of
intra-territorial coordination among different stakeholders. Further
information on EMWIS website
54-
The Delegation for the External Action of Local Authorities (DAECT) of
the French Ministry for Foreign Affairsf the , has published a general
call for projects for 2017, dedicated to French local authorities and
their associations. This call aims to finance decentralized
cooperation projects implemented with foreign local authorities.
Particular attention will be paid to sustainable urban development,
particularly for the following themes: - Buildings and transport
/ territorial planning; - Development Education; - Implementation of
integrated management policies; - Water and sanitation; - Coastal
risks and management of alerts; - Waste management and valorisation,
biodiversity, circular economy; - Food security: territorialized food
systems, agro-ecological practices; - Support to the mobilization of
sub-national, national and international climate finance. Further
information on EMWIS website
=================================================
CALL FOR PAPERS
=================================================
55-
4th Coastal and Maritime Mediterranean Conference, 29 November to 01
December 2017 , in Split, Croatia. The conference is organized by the
French cluster Pôle Mer Méditerranée & Paralia, the Institute of
Oceanography and Fisheries of Split, and the University of Zagreb.
Notes or short communications should be submitted imperatively before
30 June. Further information on EMWIS
website
56- 19th ANNUAL BIOECON CONFERENCE "Evidence-based environmental
policies and the optimal management of natural resources" 20-22
September 2017. Deadline for the submission of full papers: May 12,
2017. Further information on EMWIS
website
=================================================
TRAINING
=================================================
[2017/08/11
- 2017/08/29] IPD Summer Academy 11-29 August, 2017, Switzerland, Call
for Participants. The main goal of the 10-20 days Summer Academy is to
strengthen the skills of the representatives of state organisations,
business sector, INGOs/NGOs, education institutions, religious
organisations, independent mediators and politicians through
institutional global academic education in peacebuilding, mediation,
conflict resolution, security and intercultural dialogue. Further
information on EMWIS
website
[2017/06/07
- 2017/07/05] Water stewardship online training takes a different
approach to water management. The AWS has developed a modular training
program setting the standard for water stewardship globally. The
program is designed to support, recognise and reward collaborative
efforts to manage shared water challenges. As an AWS certified
corporate training team, the International WaterCentre is pleased to
offer ‘Foundations of Water Stewardship,’ the first level of the
program for users and promoters of the AWS water stewardship system.
Further information on EMWIS
website
[26/06/2017
- 29/06/2017] Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation Summer School 2017:
OpenMed Association and MaPE – University of Cagliari, with the
support of ASCAME, CCIA-BML, CEEBA, Re.C.O.Med and Italian Federation
of Anna Lindh Foundation organize the "Design your MED initiative!".
The main objectives of the Summer School are: improve competences and
relations of individuals interested in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation/
share the Euro-Mediterranean projects experiences among participants
and trainers/ start the concrete design of proposals under the new
Euro-Mediterranean funding instruments, in particular ENI CBC MED
2014-2020. Application Deadline: May 26, 2017. Further information on
EMWIS
website
[2017/05/29
- 2017/06/10] Summer School in Water Governance: Frameworks and
Negotiations. The Geneva Water Hub and the University of Geneva
are proud to announce the new
Summer School in Water Governance - Frameworks and Negotiations!
Recognized as a Certificate of Advance Studies, the courses will cover Hydrological
global trends, Right to water access, Hydrodiplomacy and
International water Law. The program will take
place in
Geneva between May 29 and June 10 2017 and
will be worth 11 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/23
- 2017/05/23] OIEau Technical Day : New French GEMAPI law:
overview and roles for its implementation. Organized by the
international office for water the technical day will address in a
practical way: - The regulatory context; - The players in the GEMAPI
implementation; - The superposition of the small and the large water
cycle; - Implementation of the transfer of competence. Further
information on EMWIS website
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EVENTS
(Full
Agenda)
=================================================
[2017/11/ 07- 2017/11/11] Euro-Mediterranean area green and circular economy expo.
Further information on EMWIS website
[2017/09/21
- 2017/09/24] 8th International Conference on Information and
Communication Technologies in Agriculture, Food & Environment ,
Chania, Crete, Greece
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/09/11
- 2017/09/13] WATER CHALLENGES IN XXI CENTURY: ROLE OF ECONOMICS,
STATISTICS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/09/05
- 2017/09/08] International Conference on Research for Development
ICRD 2017
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/08/27
- 2017/09/01] World Water Week in Stockholm,
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/08/21
- 2017/08/25] 7th International Symposium for Wetland Systems for
Water Pollution Control (WETPOL)
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/07/18
- 2017/07/20] 9th International Conference on Sustainable Water
Resources Management
Further information on EMWIS
website
[2017/06/14
- 2017/06/17] 10th International SedNet Conference “Sediments on the
move” , Genoa, Italy
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/06/21
- 2017/06/24] Conference "Science and Society. For the adaptation
of territories to climate change", 21-24 June 2017 in Bordeaux
France
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/06/11
- 2017/06/15] ACHEMA – World Forum and Leading Show for the Process
Industries
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/06/06
-2017/06/06] Public session on the United Nations World Water
Development Report 2017 ‘Wastewater: The Untapped Resource’
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/06/05
- 2017/06/09] 3rd European Climate Change Adaptation Conference
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/06/05
- 2017/06/07] 4th International Conference on Water & Society
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/29
- 2017/06/03] The XVIth World Water Congress
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/29
- 2017/06/01] LuWQ2017: 3rd International Interdisciplinary
Conference on LAND USE AND WATER QUALITY: Effect of Agriculture on
the Environment
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/23
- 2017/05/25] The 5th International Exhibition of Technologies for
the Environment and Renewable Energies
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/18
- 2017/05/18 Save the date! ** demEAUmed Final Conference, May 18th
2017 in Barcelona **
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/17
- 2017/05/18] 7th edition of Hydrogaïa - International Water
Exhibition in Montpellier
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/11
- 2017/05/13] International Water Exhibition & Forum Casablanca
2017
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/10
- 2017/05/11] Blue Waters and Green Agriculture: Romanian Challenges
and Perspectives in Nutrient Pollution Control
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/10
- 2017/05/11] 4th Istanbul International Water Forum (IIWF)
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/09
- 2017/05/11] 2017 World Hydropower Congress
Further
information on EMWIS website
[2017/05/04
- 2017/05/06] 4th edition of the International Water Exhibition
in Casablanca, Morocco
Further
information on EMWIS website
=================================================
CONTACT US
=================================================
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