US, World Bank To Collaborate on Water Security

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and World Bank President Robert Zoellick signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Tuesday to collaborate in assisting developing countries’ efforts in water security and water quality.

In recognition of World Water Day, Clinton signed the MOU on behalf of 17 federal government agencies, marking what is said to be the largest-ever alliance of U.S. government agencies with those of the World Bank Group.

The partnership involves federal departments and agencies such as NASA, which will share remote-sensing technology that enables countries to identify and measure their water resources, so as to guide strategies to manage them sustainably. More >>>

Abdullah calls world community to give water security top priority

24 March 2011, Abu Dhabi - Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister called on the international community to place the water issue on top of its agenda given the increasing demand for drinking water and climate change. Speaking on the World Water Day, Shaikh Abdullah said ‘ The UAE believes the water issue needs urgent actions.

The water crisis, he affirmed, the crisis can be avoided and prevented. ‘Being a desert country with scarce water resources, the UAE is striving to strike a balance between demand and supply in regards to its drinking water stock,’he noted.

He stressed the importance of international cooperation for sound use of water through a more efficient method, development of new technologies that can help in purification, distribution and protection of water in a way that helps the world address climate change challenges. ‘As we celebrate this day, we are optimistic about our capacity to overcome the crisis if we have the qualities of prudent leadership, cooperation and spirit of innovation.

‘The UAE urges the G 20 - as a platform that addresses tremendous challenges facing the world - to keep the water security at the top of its priority agenda,’he added. More >>>

Water Management as Conflict Management

North America's Environmental Outlook: Nine Topics to Watch for 2011 and Beyond

Montreal, 11 January 2011—What is the future for North America's environment? Much of the answer is up to us. 

A new report examines the major forces and underlying trends likely to shape the environment of North America in 2030 and outlines nine areas where decisions today will affect our environmental future in varying degrees.

In fact, while the pressures on North America's environment will continue to increase over the next 20 years, the report emphasizes that it would be a mistake to assume that our choices today can't influence environmental quality down the road.

North American Environmental Outlook to 2030, released today by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), scans environmental data and projections by the United Nations Environment Program, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and others to examine a range of different environmental scenarios for North America.

The nine areas to watch fall under three categories:

Greatest potential for impact by 2030
Energy use and associated emissions, especially from transportation and buildings
Water use and treatment of wastewater

Most significant coming changes

Continued and accelerated warming, especially in the Arctic
Continued loss of terrestrial biodiversity
Persistent ground-level ozone in urban areas

Issues deserving greater attention
Growth in urban and built-up land area
Freshwater quality and groundwater availability and qualityThe specific economic and health effects of environmental change
The impact of consumption in North America on the environment in other regions and vice versa

"The year 2030 is well within our planning horizon. The scenarios examined in this report suggest taking actions to confront those changes we can best affect in the short term, preparing for environmental change that is almost inevitable but amenable to action in the longer term, and finally, strengthening our knowledge concerning emerging changes about which we know the least," said Evan Lloyd, CEC Executive Director. More >>>

Dhaka-Delhi meet on water, security

Dhaka, Jan 6 (bdnews24.com)--The government is going to hold three separate meetings with India on water sharing, security, and transit and trade during this month.  
Water resources ministry will hold a secretary-level meeting with its Indian counterpart on January 10-11 in Dhaka.

Water resources secretary Shaikh Md Wahid-uz-Zaman will discuss water sharing of Teesta and other common rivers with his Indian counterpart Dhruv Vijai Singh, said a foreign ministry official.

They will also follow-up on different development works stipulated in joint communiqué declared by prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian premier Manmohan Singh in New Delhi in January last year, he said.

"It is expected that the Indian premier will make an announcement on water sharing of Teesta during his reciprocal visit to Bangladesh," he added.

Manmohan was scheduled to visit Bangladesh in January, but not it is not clear exactly when he will be in Dhaka.

Home secretary level meeting between the two countries will be held from January 17 to 19 in Dhaka and the agenda include security, human trafficking and easy visa procedure.  More >>>

Good Water Management a Pillar of Climate Adaptation & Mitigation

Water is the main way by which climate change will affect society, ecosystems and world economies; so concrete and immediate responses to proper water management are crucial when we discuss climate adaptation.
When chairing the regional Dialogue of Policy for Latin America and the Caribbean*, Omar Vidal, Executive Director of WWF-Mexico, said:

“In order to achieve concrete results in adaptation to climate change in terms of water is indispensable to generate information and share it, as well as to adopt consensus and inter-sector agreements that involve all actors in comprehensive policy designing. There are important coincidences among the Dialogues for Water and Climate Change (D4WCC) and COP16, in particular with financial mechanism designing, monitoring, fairness, and social participation.” More >>>

Water is the main way by which climate change will affect society, ecosystems and world economies; so concrete and immediate responses to proper water management are crucial when we discuss climate adaptation.
When chairing the regional Dialogue of Policy for Latin America and the Caribbean*, Omar Vidal, Executive Director of WWF-Mexico, said:

“In order to achieve concrete results in adaptation to climate change in terms of water is indispensable to generate information and share it, as well as to adopt consensus and inter-sector agreements that involve all actors in comprehensive policy designing. There are important coincidences among the Dialogues for Water and Climate Change (D4WCC) and COP16, in particular with financial mechanism designing, monitoring, fairness, and social participation.” More >>>