Euro-Mediterranean Information System on know-how in the Water sector - News for 2008/06

Israel-Palestine: Water project is a drop in the ocean on West Bank

2009-05-12T17:39:14Z

With the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Palestinian Water Authority, one town on the West Bank now has access to plentiful water, giving Samua's mayor and townspeople something to celebrate.

A large reservoir and pipeline connecting it to a pumping station some 8km away are now in use. Estimates had put daily water use at between 10 and 25l per person on average, far below World Health Organization recommendations. That figure would now reach 40l or even 70l a day.

Improving water services for the town's 22,000 people solves only a fraction of the problem, however. According to conservative estimates, about 200,000 Palestinians in the West Bank are not connected to water networks. The people must buy water and ship it in tanks or rely on cisterns and private wells.

Health officials have said these sources are many times more polluted and can cause illness. Furthermore, tanked water can cost more than twice as much as water from a network.

The ICRC project in Samua will be complemented by a second one inside the village, this time under the auspices of the World Bank, which will improve existing pipes and connect all the residents to an internal distribution network to transfer the water from the reservoir directly to homes.

The downside to the project is the initial cost: each household will have to pay about $150 to connect to the network, which in the poor southern West Bank is a hefty price tag.

Samua, an ancient town with a Canaanite name, a city centre of Byzantine ruins and mosques hundreds of years old, is also famous for having been raided by the Israelis in a cross-border attack in 1966 an event widely held as a key incident leading to the 1967 Middle East War.

With the increase expected in water usage, the amount of wastewater will also rise, though Samua, like most of the West Bank, relies on septic tanks.

In some villages, like Aqaba in the Jordan Valley, remote and disconnected, many people though still use dry pits as toilets.

The main problem, besides unfit septic tanks, which leak into the aquifer, arises after the septic tanks are cleaned out, as there is only one waste-water treatment plant for the Palestinians in the West Bank. Most of the dirty water simply ends up dumped in rivers and streams, causing pollution.

Environmentalists and water experts say some 90 percent of the territory's waste-water is not treated and the only solution is building more treatment plants.

However, all water projects in the West Bank, including the digging of wells, require Israeli permission.

Call for Papers - Water Efficiency in Urban Areas Conference, Wuerzburg, Germany, January 2009

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

This conference will be held in Wuerzburg, Germany in 29-30 January 2009.

The topics of the conference are:

1. Climate Change - Boundary Conditions

2. Planning/Strategy

3. Technical Options

4. Economics/Finance

5. Implementation of Strategies

Conference Focus:

On the interface between energy and water

- Water Reuse - Which quality of water for what?

- Increase of water efficiency

- Water management

- Water purification

- Urban planning

- Integrated systems for large buildings or residential areas

- Know-how Transfer

You will meet:

Planners housing industry, urban planners, architects, utilities, waste water administration unions, engineers and scientists active in the field of water efficiency, politicians, building technicians, consultants, other attendees.

The two-day programme for this conference will comprise of invited oral presentations and posters.

Posters are invited on the above topics.

Each poster presenter will get 3 minutes to present the highlights of his project the plenum.

Deadline for Submissions of Abstracts: June 13th, 2008

The Call for Posters and further information you will find under:

http://www.otti.de/pdf/wea3091.pdf

Call for papers - The Second International Meeting on Environmental Economics: “Transport, territories & environment”

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

This conference will take place in Annaba (Algeria) in 23-24 November 2008.

The economic value of the natural resources, and some of the social practices that affect them, reveal the cross-cutting interface between “economic activities” and “natural resources”. PRIEV (First International Meeting on Environmental Economics) held last November 2007, initiated our analysis on such topics. Those first days concentrated on economic analysis of industrial activities’ environmental impacts, particularly those which contribute strongly to economic development.

The DRIEV’s (Second International Meeting on Environmental Economics) goal is to
supplement this debate with a specific focus on:
• First, the problems of transport and its impacts on the environment and on health.
• Second, the territorial dimensions of the relation between "economic activities" and "natural resources".
Indeed, transport constitutes an important theme for such a debate. Although the development of this sector correlates positively with economic growth, it also deteriorates the environment (greenhouse gases, air pollution, noise).

Please submit your abstracts until June 30, 2008 at the latest. Abstracts will specify the research question, analytic methodology, and key terms. These will be reviewed by members of the scientific committee. Researchers whose abstracts are accepted have to submit the final version of their paper by September 20, 2008. A final decision will be communicated by October 20; a letter of invitation will accompany this final decision.

Bijeljina Waste Water Collection System, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

The Municipality of Bijeljina and Vodovod I Kanalizacija Bijeljina, the water supply and wastewater company of the town of Bijeljina, have received a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the amount of EUR 7 million to finance wastewater infrastructure for the urban part of the Municipality.

Vodovod I Kanalizacija Bijeljina intends to use the proceeds of the loan towards the cost of Bijeljina Waste Water Collection System Project. The proposed project will require the procurement of the following works:

• Construction of secondary and tertiary foul sewers and reconstruction of surface water drains

Tendering is expected to start during the third quarter of 2008. Contracts to be financed with the proceeds of a loan from the EBRD will be tendered in accordance with the EBRD’s Procurement Policies and Rules. The proceeds of the EBRD loan will not be used for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations or under a law or official regulation of the Purchaser’s country.

Closing date: 3 Jun 2009 at 00:00, Bijeljina time

IUCN: North Africa Programme shaped into action

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

In September 2007 they met in Malaga, and in March 2008 reunited in Tunis to finalise the programme. IUCN members from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia have sat together with the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation to identify priorities and concrete activities to help conserve nature in the region.

These countries are suffering from acute desertification, which is slowly advancing northwards and is being exacerbated by climate change and unplanned development. he new IUCN programme will help coordinate activities in an integrated approach to the common problems in the region, promoting exchanges of good practice and field initiatives for alternative income for people at risk due to environmental degradation.

The 2008-2012 programme of activities has been designed to address the main concerns expressed by IUCN members in the region with concrete activities aimed at increasing knowledge, developing capacity and improving governance structures to contribute to sustainable development in North Africa as well as help provide suitable solutions to deal with global environmental challenges. This programme will be implemented by IUCN members in the region with the support of IUCN-Med, and in collaboration with relevant local and regional partners .

The detailed IUCN Sub-regional Programme for North Africa is now available.

Register to the World Conservation Congress

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

Individuals and organizations can get involved in the Congress in many different ways:

Organize posters, roundtable discussions, aliance workshops, training sessions, social events,
Exhibit your organization by renting a 2mx3m booth or by getting involved in one of the 7 pavilions on Climate Change, Energy and Biofuels, Water, Forests, Sustainable Living, Biodiversity, and Marine issues,
Support a special event or activity at the Congress,
Become a long-term partner of IUCN.

ndividuals and organizations can get involved in the Congress in many different ways:

Organize posters, roundtable discussions, ‘aliances’ workshops, training sessions, social events or you can present your movies by submitting a proposal to the Call for Contributions (closed on 31 October, 2007).
Exhibit your organization by renting a 2mx3m booth or by getting involved in one of the 7 pavilions on Climate Change, Energy and Biofuels, Water, Forests, Sustainable Living, Biodiversity, and Marine issues.
Support a special event or activity at the Congress
Become a long-term partner of IUCN.

Member organizations have the right to participate in the elections and contribute to IUCN’s policy and programme by submitting and voting on motions. In order to exercise these rights members must complete the accreditation formalities.

Climate change and forest fires addressed in Greece

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

Forest wildfires are among the most direct and immediate consequence of climate change upon Mediterranean forests. Climate change impacts, such as extended periods of high temperatures, the extreme meteorological phenomena (heat waves and strong winds), combined with land uses changes encourage the increase of frequency, intensity and extent of fires.

The described conditions are mainly observed in the northern areas of Mediterranean (Portugal, Greece, and Spain). If these conditions are extended in the southern areas, the consequences regarding the forest ecosystems of the entire Mediterranean basin will be dramatic.

Earth, water and fire at Mediterre 2008

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

IUCN Italian and Spanish Committees got together in Bari in May on the occasion of Mediterre to discuss preparation of their Mediterranean contribution towards Congress. Amongst the issues discussed, the establishment of a Mediterranean Federation of Natural Parks and the organisation of a national committee chairs meeting in the region to finetune proposals were at the table, together with the appraisal of the work developed to address the Bangkok resolutions concerning the region..

Jordan has offered to host the meeting with the support of the Italian members, and under the organisation of Federparchi, probably at the beginning of July 2008.

Call for papers- UNESCO International Conference on Water Scarcity, Global Changes and Groundwater Management Responses

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

UNESCO, together with the University of California, Irvine, and the USGS, are organising the International Conference on Water Scarcity, Global Changes and Groundwater Management Responses, from 1st to 5th December 2008 at the University of California, Irvine, USA.

This Conference, convened by UNESCO and the University of California Irvine, seeks to bring together leading water management and climate change experts, scientists and engineers, policymakers, lawyers and economists, as well as executives of water services of local and regional authorities. The Conference will present innovative and appropriate technologies to address water scarcity and global change effects on water availability and quality, explore the specific scientific and technical tools for groundwater studies and management, and discuss how to incorporate such technologies into short-term decision-making and long-term water management and policy-making.

The abstract deadline is June 15th.

Distilling or diluting? Negotiating the water research-policy interface

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

This paper examines some of the tensions in the generation of knowledge about water governance and poverty, and the translation of this knowledge into policy (and practice). It draws on the experience of the authors in developing a framework for understanding water governance and poverty, their work on a project in Tanzania and their attempts to engage with policy makers. The authors propose that the negotiation of knowledge is a political process shaped both by power relationships and (often implicit) normative values. The authors critique instrumental approaches to the generation of knowledge and policy based on the amalgamation of perceived 'success stories' and 'good practice'. They favour instead approaches that attempt to understand water governance arrangements and outcomes for the poor within wider frameworks of negotiations over the allocation of societal resources. This implies the need to re-think the research – policy relationship and to build reflexive knowledge generation into the research-policy interface.

2009-05-12T17:39:14Z

Recycling and reuse 'key' to water scarcity

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

More and more communities are facing acute water scarcity issues - but this can be addressed through better recycling and reuse according to a white paper published by one of the world's biggest companies.

GE Water and Process Technologies, part of General Electric, highlighted the successful policies being used in water scarce regions around the world.

Addressing Water Scarcity Through Recycling and Reuse said policies fall into four main categories - education, barrier removal, incentives and mandates - which policymakers can choose from to use in their own areas.

These include awards schemes, lifting tough inspection requirements on recycled water and providing direct subsidies.

"Policymakers are looking for ways to expand water recycling and reuse initiatives, but until now finding information on how best to do that was tough," said Jeff Garwood, president and CEO of GE Water & Process Technologies.

"By providing a menu of policy tools ranging from less intensive mechanisms, like public outreach programs, to more proactive, regulatory approaches, our paper will help governments, communities and businesses effectively evaluate their options."

GE has also announced its own commitment to reduce its fresh water use by 20% by 2012.

Bosses said it was one of the world's most aggressive corporate water targets to date and it is expected to free up 7.4m cubic metres of fresh water a year - enough to fill more than 3,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Water technologies and process efficiencies are planned at more than 100 company facilities to meet the target.

GE said it is also using the same water-saving solutions to help reduce municipal, industrial and agricultural customers' "water footprints".

The Europe of water: what solidarity North-South?

2009-05-12T17:39:14Z

Europe could propose to each European citizen to feel responsible for providing access to water for an African, Asian or South-American citizen who doesn’t have it, and could decide to influence the budgetary means that the EU can patently mobilize for this purpose. Without a new strong commitment in this direction, Europe will inevitably suffer predictable consequences of the worsening of the situation within the Southern countries severely affected by the lack of access to water, and, notably, by the uncontrolled inflow of climate refugees to its territory.

The international community committed itself to increase the investments in the filed of water and decontamination during the 90’s. It has also recognized the necessity of improving the efficiency of management systems in developing citizen participation, the “empowerment”. This participation questions the relationships amongst users, representatives, engineers, businessmen, etc. in a very technical field.

Meanwhile in the South, the processes of decentralization give increasing responsibilities to representatives, interface between people and the logics behind projects of development. In Europe, local collectivities, State services, water and decontamination syndicates, enterprises have a clear experience in public services organization and management, yet without achieving the creation of constructive linkages with the citizens. In addition, several associations and NGOs wish to promote as well access to water and to sanitation. How to merge citizen participation and technico-economical efficiency when it comes to intervention in the South?

Young Geo-Professional Magazine Initiative

2010-10-28T17:54:33Z

The geomatics and hydrographics field is flourishing as never before; nevertheless, it is experiencing a shortage of personnel. Companies and governments simply cannot attract sufficient qualified personnel to get all the work done. Furthermore, universities and educational institutions all over the world are suffering from a lack of new students. How can we turn the tide? How can we interest people in starting a career in, for example, land surveying, electronic charting, remote sensing, positioning or hydrographic surveying?

Reed Business Geo has taken the initiative to publish a magazine and associated website focussed on young people who are about to make a study choice. The publication, called Young Geo Professional, will position geomatics and hydrographics as an attractive and fascinating field. Further, it will make the young people aware of the wide scale of fields of application and future job possibilities.

The magazine and its associated website are developed for secondary, college, propaedeutics and bachelor students, from the ages of 16 to 27 years, who are about to make the choice on a study or follow-up study. They may not yet be sure which technical discipline to choose and want to form an impression of their future job and explore the different options available.

Young Geo Professional magazine will be appealing, interactive and offer informative content on the field in general as way of an introduction, geomatics and hydrographic jobs, studies and entertaining information on geo techniques. Lots of additional information will be added to the website, including a database of educational institutions, where students can find their nearest education provider.

At least 15,000 copies will be distributed worldwide, to about 350 educational institutions (high schools, bachelor and master programmes) offering study programmes in geomatics and hydrographics. Educational institutions will use this magazine while promoting their studies to candidate students, for example, at open days and at education and career fairs.

The magazine and website will be available for students at the start of the study year

(September 2008).

Do you want to support this initiative? Contact Victor van Essen (victor.van.essen@reedbusiness.nl) or Marjan de Vries (marjan.de.vries@reedbusiness.nl).

‘Business Friends of the Danube’ Pay Tribute

2009-05-12T17:39:14Z

Renowned Austrian and international companies agreed to support the ICDPR (International Commission for the Protection of the Danube Rive) to protect the vulnerable Danube River. In the presence of Austrian Federal Minister Josef Proell, Coca-Cola Hellenic and The Coca-Cola Company, main players of this long-term project as well as the ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, added its support to ICPDR on 2 June 2008.

Can the Danube still be saved? With the presentation of the ‘Business Friends of the Danube’ on 2 June 2008, the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River responded with a “clear yes” to this specific question. Renowned Austrian and international companies agreed to support the ICDPR to protect the vulnerable Danube River. In the presence of Austrian Federal Minister Josef Proell, Coca-Cola Hellenic and The Coca-Cola Company, main players of this long-term project as well as the ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, added its support to ICPDR.