Latest news updates from IW projects worldwide

ECO-Asia Grants for Urban Water and Sanitation

2010-02-12T03:58:06Z

Under the ECO-Asia Water and Sanitation Program, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA) supports achievement of the MDGs in Asian cities by working with urban water and wastewater operators in three areas: (1) enabling water services delivery to the urban poor; (2) improving performance of water and wastewater service utilities; and (3) demonstrating sustainable sanitation solutions.

To assist water and sanitation service providers increase or improve customer access to their services, ECO-Asia has developed a comprehensive 10-Step Promotion Program Toolkit. The Toolkit provides service providers with practical methods to develop a targeted promotion campaign within 8-10 months that can lead to sustained demand for their services. The Toolkit combines international best practices from the health and environment arenas in behavior change communication, marketing and resources mobilization in an easy to use online format.

The maximum amount for an individual grant is US$10,000. The grant will support initiatives that use the ECO-Asia 10-Step Promotions Toolkit to increase access to urban water and/or sanitation services. It can support technical assistance, workshops, development and production of promotional materials (e.g. posters, leaflets, WASH days, fairs, radio spots, other media, etc), local travel, and other related costs, however, it may not support capital investments, construction, or cover proposal preparation expenses. Grant duration is between 10-12 months and the disbursement of grant funds is linked with predefined outcomes and deliverables.

ECO-Asia small grants require cost-share on an in-kind or cash basis by the grantee. For more information, please download the Request for Proposals.

Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office: Kick-off meeting for the First Joint Multipurpose Program Identification Phase Studies (JMP1 ID Studies)

2010-02-03T08:08:14Z

Participants are drawn from various sectors of the Eastern Nile countries (Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan), Nile Basin Initiative -wide Institutions/projects, Parliamentarians, Development Partners, representatives of civil society, private sectors, media, study consultants and other stakeholders. The meeting will be held in Khartoum, Sudan 30-31 January, 2010.

The Joint Multipurpose Program (JMP)
The JMP is part of the NBI/ Eastern Nile investment program (ENSAP), which the three countries (Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan) implement to develop the water resources of the Eastern Nile Basin in a sustainable and equitable way. JMP considers the water resources of the Nile as entry points to promote goals that go beyond water.

The decision to launch a multipurpose development in the Eastern Nile was made in 2005, at the 19th Eastern Nile Council of Ministers responsible for water (ENCOM) Meeting, which also included the Power Ministers of the three countries. ENCOM then instructed ENTRO to work toward the “Launch of the first phase of identification of a major program of multipurpose joint development of the Eastern Nile that demonstrate benefits of cooperation and ensure good practice”

The objective of the JMP1 Identification Studies is to assist the three Eastern Nile countries in identification of the JMP1 investment package, through a series of studies and consultative activities that take into account economic, social and environmental sustainability issues in an integrated manner. By the end of the JMP1 Identification phase, ENCOM will be in a position to commission detailed preparation for the selected JMP1 investments, as appropriate.

Above article from: http://ensap.nilebasin.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=135

Lake Tanganyika Authority Headquarters Agreement Signed

2010-02-03T07:48:02Z

Download full article here.

Lake Tanganyika Authority website: http://lta.iwlearn.org/

Above screenshot from http://www.iisd.ca/mea-l/meabulletin80.pdf

Living Water Exchange Factsheets on nutrient reduction good practices available online

2010-02-03T05:44:42Z

Download LWE factsheets:

Baltic Sea 555.4 kB

Bosnia and Herzegovina 536.2 kB

Bulgaria 1 695.5 kB

Bulgaria 2 549.3 kB

Danube Region 498.2 kB

Hungary 452.4 kB

Moldova 324.2 kB

Prespa lake 412.6 kB

Romania 350.3 kB

Tisza River Basin 683.0 kB

Turkey 568.3 kB

About the Living Water Exchange project

A GEF/UNDP project promoting nutrient reduction best practices – officially known as Promoting Replication of Good Practices for Nutrient Reduction and Joint Collaboration in Central and Eastern Europe.

The Living Water Exchange is a partnership among:

The Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF)
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) International Waters Program
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
The International Waters Learning Exchange and Research Network (IW: LEARN)
Key experts in nutrient reduction and other environmental topics

LWE website: http://nutrient-bestpractices.iwlearn.org/

Joint IUCN / ASCLME Seamounts Cruise featured on BBC News

2010-02-02T09:53:42Z

Visit the Earth News section of the BBC website here, or visit the 2009 Seamounts Cruise Blog here.

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The GEF-funded Seamounts Project enables the ASCLME Project to extend its knowledge of the ASCLME region to the south, as far as the Subtropical Convergence and into the "roaring fourties".

The Seamounts Project will increase our understanding biodiversity and oceanography of southerly seamounts in the Indian Ocean and will help to formulate stragegies for managing and governing high seas (Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction) fisheries and marine protected areas, with a specific focus on seamounts.

Seamounts have been likened to oases in the "deserts" of the open ocean, supporting surprisingly diverse communities of animals in unexpected numbers. They also form important feeding and breeding grounds for many pelagic and deep ocean species and seabirds are often attracted to seamounts to feed.

One objective of the cruise is to explore possible reasons for this unexpected blossoming of life; the two best known hypotheses are "upwelling" and "Deep Scattering Layer trapping" - other mechanisms may well be at work too. The upwelling hypothesis suggest that seamounts may force nutrient-rich deep ocean currents towards the surface, where they fertilise the phytoplankton and cause a burst in productivity. The other hypothesis suggests that the organisms that comprise the deep scattering layer become trapped on the seamount once then attempt to descend back to their safe daytime depths, providing a food bonanza to the species that are associated with seamounts.

You can follow the expedition's discoveries on the 2009 Seamounts Cruise Blog and also on the BBC News Earth View site.

The Dr. Fridtjof Nansen is due to dock in Port Elizabeth on the 20th of December, bringing with it a treasure trove of deep sea biodiversity and oceanographic knowledge.

The expedition is supported by expertise and funding supplied by partner organisations including the Zoological Society of London, the EAF-Nansen project, the Institute of Marine Research, Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project; the Marine Ecology Laboratory, University of Reunion, the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme, the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility.

Above excerpts are from:
http://www.asclme.org/joint_iucn%10asclme_seamounts_cruise_featured_on_bbc_news.html
http://www.asclme.org/2009_seamounts_cruise_underway.html

Mekong River Commission to establish climate change adaption demonstration site in Lao PDR

2010-02-02T07:49:35Z

A site has been chosen in Savannakhet, where the MRC's Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative (CCAI) will work with local farmers to assess how they may be affected by projected changes to the climate in coming years and test out measures to adapt to these changes, particularly in relation to awareness raising and training for villagers and improving water supply.

The MRC says that the Mekong region is one of the most vulnerable in the world to the long term impacts of Climate Change, due to a relatively high proportion of people living on low incomes and regional low government capacity to deal with the issue.

"Like other areas of the Lower Mekong Basin, people in Savannakhet are facing climate risks" said Mr. Synouan Sihalath, Head of the Office of Water Resources and Environment Agency, Savannakhet province. "Savannakhet is highly vulnerable to flood and drought. Agricultural areas are affected by climate risks" he added.

"The demonstration site activities in the four Lower Mekong Basin countries will benefit the communities directly and provide lessons learned for up-scaling or replicating." said Dr. Pornsook Chongprasith, Director of Environment Division at the MRC, which also intends to develop similar sites in Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam.

Although no-one knows exactly how rising world temperatures will impact on the basin, the MRC says that according to global climate modelling that has been downscaled to basin level, a change in rainfall patterns, which could increase the risk of flooding in some areas; an increase in the number and severity of extreme weather events; an increased risk of extremes of hot and cold in different parts of the basin, increasing the risk of drought; and changes in the flow of the river and tributaries, which could influence fish migration patterns, run-off and alluvial deposits are all likely scenarios and will have serious consequences for Lao farmers. In other parts of the basin, sea level rises of up to one metre are predicted, making the Mekong Delta one of the five most vulnerable deltas in the world and the MRC says that this could cause significant displacement of people and migration into urban areas.

- ends -

Notes to editors:

On 22-24 December, 2009, in Savannakhet, the Water Resources and Environment Research Institute and Water Resources and Environmental Agency (WREA) and the Mekong River Commission Secretariat (MRCS) organized a National Consultation Meeting on Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative (CCAI) focusing on "Local Demonstration Site Activities" Approximately 35 participants from relevant line agencies at central, provincial, district, and village levels participated in the meeting.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the participants to visit the candidate villages, to obtain some preliminary relevant information. As a result, Kengkok Neua, Nakathang and Taleo villages of Champhone district were selected as demonstration sites.

The MRC is responsible for cooperation on the sustainable management of the Mekong Basin. In dealing with these challenges, it looks across all sectors including sustaining fisheries, identifying opportunities for agriculture, maintaining the freedom of navigation, flood management and preserving important ecosystems. Superimposed on these are the future effects of more extreme floods, prolonged drought and sea level rise associated with climate change. In providing its advice, the MRC aims to facilitate a broad range of dialogue among governments, the private sector and civil society on these challenges.

For more information, contact:
Sukthawee Suwannachairop, Climate Change and Adaptation Communication Officer,
Tel: + (856) 21 263 263
E-mail: Sukthawee@mrcmekong.org; or;

Khy Lim, MRCS Communication Officer;
Tel: +(856 20)552 8726;
E-mail: khy@mrcmekong.org
Website: www.mrcmekong.org

Above article from: http://www.mrcmekong.org/MRC_news/press10/MRC-to-establish-climate-change6-1-10.htm

Tuvalu prepares to adapt to climate change through Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Project

2010-01-29T05:39:17Z

In upraising the profile of the PACC Project in Tuvalu, a one day inception meeting was held last week at the Government Conference Room to introduce and launch the project. It was attended by government agencies, representatives from Non-Governmental Organisations, different representatives from the eight different Island communities of Tuvalu and youth groups.

The meeting was given recognition by the government and was officially opened by the Secretary for Works, Water and Energy. In his presentation, Mr. Paulson Panapa, recognised the important objectives of the project in trying to build the adaptation capacity of the people in adapting to impact of climate change and also recognises the assistance that the project can offer to the people of Tuvalu in terms of demonstrating the adaptive measure suitable for their need.

Tuvalu PACC Project was so fortunate to have Mr. Taito Nakalevu, the Regional PACC Project Manager to be in country to witness the inception meeting and to give a clear perception of the project from the perspective of the implementing partner. In his presentation, he indicated that this is the first GEF funded project that will initiate ground activities and PACC project will assist Tuvalu to build its capacity to develop and demonstrate adaptive measures in the water sector to build resilience against impact of climate change.

He also stressed that climate change is no new concept in Tuvalu and people are already facing the impact of climate change hence the need now is to adapt. People were also assured that the PACC Project will be owned by the People of Tuvalu.

The project objectives were also highlighted by the General Secretary of the Christian Congregation, Rev. Kitiona Tausi during his homily speech whereby he addresses the importance of water by stating that water is God’s gift for life and man is required to manage it in a sustainable manner.

Invited participants were given a clear elucidation of the purpose and objectives of the project and were also happy to learn that the project will be of beneficial to the communities. The Pilot site for demonstration is yet to be finalised but it is something that the Project needs to get confirmation from the communities. This is targeted to be achieved through Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment to determine the need of the people in relation to the impacts of climate change in the water sector. The PACC project however, will be focused on the capital Island of Tuvalu, Funafuti, whilst lessons learnt could be shared to the outer islands.

The PACC project is implemented by the Public Works Department under the Ministry of Works, Water and Energy. It is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as its implementing agency and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) as implementing partner.

More information on PACC

Above article from: http://www.sprep.org/climate_change/PACC/pacc_news_detail.asp?id=738