EMWIS Flash N°112, July/August 2013

EMWIS Flash - July/August 2013 Euro-Mediterranean Information System on the know-how in the Water Sector EMWIS is a program of the Union for the Mediterranean. For further information: www.emwis.net Monthly Flash produced by the EMWIS Technical Unit- OIEAU, CEDEX, SOGESID- (French & Arabic versions are available few days later) Mediterranean Water Information Mechanism / Geo-Catalogue / UfM-Water

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In this issue N°112 (www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash112)
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HEADLINE
1- "The Mediterranean of projects" web portal launched

IN BRIEF
2- Final step towards a common Mediterranean Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development accomplished
3- France: In pursuit of micro-pollutants in rivers
4- France: Sustainable hydropower in practice – study tour to Loire River

5- Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt: Economic performance can be improved through decentralization
6- Tunisia opts for desalination in order to tackle drinking water supply challenges
7- Aqaba declaration on disaster risk reduction in cities
8- Jordan: Towards a National Water Information System
9- Jordan: King inaugurates Disi Water project
10- Jordan: Should we drink from Disi Water?
11- Jordan to Move Forward With Aqaba Desalination Plant
12- Egypt: Ancient river could be revived for farming
13- UAE: New phase of Fujairah desalination plant
14- Call for sustainable water management in the Croatian basins of Neretva and Trebišnjica
15- No new dams in ecologically sensitive parts of the Danube basin
16- The World Bank is bringing back big bad dams
17- World Bank says world still failing on water issues
18- Environmental and commercial solutions for wastewater from olive mills
19- Youth from science, business fields work together to solve water problems
20- First global map of vegetation from the Proba-V mini-satellite
21- Europe's cities and regions set out ambitious targets on waste

NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
PUBLICATIONS  
CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
CALL FOR PAPERS
TRAINING
EVENTS
PROJECTS
BRIEF EMWIS SITE MAP
CONTACT US / COMMENTS

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HEADLINE
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1- The French Inter-ministerial Delegation for the Mediterranean presented on July 9, 2013 its website: www.dimed.gouv.fr. At the time of transitions in the Arab countries with associated political, economic and social changes; the French authorities intend to contribute to the convergence of the two shores of the Mediterranean with the best conditions and shared values​​ thanks to the development of common policies and projects. The Inter-ministerial Delegation for the Mediterranean, "DiMed", was created in January 2013. Under the authority of the French Prime Minister, DiMed is responsible for coordinating initiatives and for networking the French public authorities that can act in the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean of projects requested by the French President is a call for collective and individual strengths from all countries who wish to join. It aims to promote the region as an area of ​​growth, stability and sharing. It can not progress without the mobilization of all stakeholders, in particular governments, local authorities, businesses, associations ...This web portal is part of this vision. It is an important base of information on projects in the Mediterranean, as well as on personalities and institutions who contribute to these projects. Further information on EMWIS website.

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IN BRIEF (Full news)
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2- More than 40 representatives of Ministries of Education, Ministries of Environment, regional and international organizations and NGOs from 14 Mediterranean countries met in Zagreb, Croatia on 17-18 June to work on the final draft of the Mediterranean Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The Mediterranean Strategy on ESD is expected to be adopted at Ministerial level in October 2013 in Monaco. The meeting, entitled ‘Strengthening Education for Sustainable Development policies in the Mediterranean’ was organized within the framework of the EU-funded Horizon 2020 Capacity Building/Mediterranean Environment Programme in cooperation with the Croatian Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection, the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE) and the Mediterranean Education Initiative for Environment and Sustainability (MEdIES). The politically significant part of the workshop focused on the discussion and finalization of the fifth draft of the MedESD, which will now be brought for adoption to the Joint Ministerial Conference of Ministers of Environment and Ministers of Education on 21 October 2013 in Monaco, organized under the auspices of Prince Albert II of Monaco and invited by the Principality of Monaco and the Prince Albert II Foundation. urther information on EMWIS website.

3- How to improve the detection of micro and emerging substances in aquatic environments was the main topic of the 6th International Symposium on passive sampling held in Bordeaux from 26 to 29 June 2013. The rivers, lakes and other aquatic inherit many toxic contaminants carried by rains, atmospheric deposit, leaching the soil, roads and industrial areas, discharge from waste water treatment plants ... To detect the presence of micro priority pollutants requested by the European Framework Directive (WFD) and emerging substances, chemists from Irstea (French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture) are using a new technique: the passive sampling. With a similar cost compared to the conventional sampling and analysis methods, these techniques are used to measure low levels of contamination while improving temporal representativeness. They are particularly used to identify traces of heavy metals, PAHs, PCBs or pesticides and emerging substances (drug residues, hormones ...). Eventually, researchers hope to transfer these tools to the water resources managers in order to use them in WFD monitoring programs. Further information on EMWIS website.

4- WWF organized a field visit to France for a delegation of Western Balkans public authorities and environmental NGOs to learn about the country’s shift towards sustainable hydropower and the “Convention for Sustainable Hydropower”. Participants visited the micro-dam of Roanne and the “new” Poutes dam on the Loire River. The Roanne microdam (2 MW) is now equipped with mitigation measures (fish ladders) that proved to be very effective: for the first time in 50 years, a salmon crossed the Roanne dam last year. The Poutès dam is being refurbished with the retaining wall being reduced from 17 meters to 4 meters, and an innovative valve system installed that will allow the transportation of sediments and the passage of migratory fish downstream, especially smolts (young salmon). The study tour ended with a visit to the National Wild Salmon Conservatory that secures wild salmon restocking until the Loire’s habitats and water quality can be restored. Further information on EMWIS website.

5- To give citizens what they really want requires the distribution of power at a local level... There is no longer any doubt concerning the positive effects of decentralization on economic performance, provided a country has appropriate supervisory bodies in place. Femise's researchers have analysed the situation in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt. What role is played by local elected officials? Do they have real power and a degree of financial independence? Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt are all known for their highly centralized regimes. Due to a lack of financial resources, local authorities are often powerless to take significant action. They have no real influence. An initial wave of decentralization began in the 1960s under the French colonial influence, but there is still considerable room for progress. We are a very long way from the Italian model, or the German federal model, with its divisions into Landers. Following the "Arab spring", the expectations of the populations in these countries are huge. "Citizens want to have their say at both the central and local level. Decentralization involves sharing resources and power between the government and local authorities. This proximity with decision makers enables elected officials to be held accountable and for the local council's work to be assessed. To play a role, civil society has to be organized," according to the author of the Femise study entitled "Decentralization and economic performance in the Southern Mediterranean". In Tunisia, the president appoints governors, but the mayor, who presides over the municipal council, is elected. In Morocco, the king appoints his walis and governors, who have many powers... and yet of the three countries it is the most advanced in terms of decentralization. In Egypt, it is customary to appoint retired military officers to the posts of prefects (Muhafez) as a reward... The appointment of a prefect with close links to the Muslim Brotherhood recently stirred revolt in the opposition against Morsi's party's attempts to infiltrate the Egyptian state system at the regional level. More decentralisation would enhance economic performance, provided that effective supervisory bodies capable of improving economic performance and ensuring rigorous control of local authorities' revenues and expenditures are in place. "There must be safeguards and powerful national institutions to avoid corruption". Further information on EMWIS website.

6- By 2022, 700 millions of Tunisian Dinars "MTD" (approximately € 340 million) will be mobilized for the creation of four desalination plants in the south of the country. According to the National Water Supply and Distribution Company (SONEDE), desalination of sea water is the right solution to meet the needs in drinking water affecting some regions of Tunisia. The four plants will be located in Sfax, Kerkennah, Zarat (Gabes) and Djerba. It should be noted that the Sfax plant will be carried out with a Japanese funding (300 MTD). Further information on EMWIS website.

7- During the First Arab conference for disaster risk reduction, the Mayors and Local Government representatives together with National Government Officials emphasized the importance of reducing disaster risk in Arab cities. They recognize the vulnerability Arab cities and towns to disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, flooding, flash flooding and storms, as well as to climate change induced droughts, desertification, flash flooding, and storms leading to food insecurity. The conference declaration calls for: (i) sustainable development principles to be closely linked to urban development planning across all sectors; (ii) strong disaster risk management policies and operational implementing institutions; (iii) sufficient investments in disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities; and (iv) for the engagement of civil society organizations in strengthening capacities and enhancing community awareness. Recalling the World Disaster Reduction Campaign 2010-2015 Making Cities Resilient: "My city is getting ready!" and the Mayors’ Statement on Resilient Cities at the Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, they resolve to 16 actions, including: set up a dedicated local unit for planning and management of DRR strategies, recommend issuance of legislations and ensure enforcement of laws and regulations, allocate between 1% and 5 % of city’s annual budget for DRR, prepare at least one risk assessment report of the city, prepare city’s DRR strategy, implement at least one public awareness campaign, recommend the development of education and training programmes on DRR, build or restore at least two infrastructure, ensure the implementation of disaster mitigation measures in schools and hospitals, monitor the enforcement of building regulations, setup a municipal early warning committee, setup local community volunteer groups, implement at least two schemes to protect natural resources and mitigate disaster risks, pay special attention to historical sites and world cultural heritage, strengthen joint cooperation among Arab cities and towns, and announce the 21st of March every year the Arab Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. Further information on EMWIS website

8- Jordan is one the pilot countries of the regional project dedicated to enhancing National Water Information System -NWIS-, under development in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean. This regional project supported by EMWIS, the League of Arab States also includes development of NWIS in Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon. The regional activities are opened to any Mediterranean countries to prepare NWIS developments. Thanks to the support of the European Commission, consultants have been hired to define the NWIS and prepare the terms of reference for its implementation, foreseen in 2014. The priority stakeholders to be involved in the study are the water sector entities (Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Jordan Valley Authority and Water Authority of Jordan), Jordan Meteorological Department, Department of lands and survey, Ministry of Environment, Department of Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture and Royal Jordanian Geographic Center. The results should be available by the end of 2013, making Jordan the third pilot country of the project to start its activity. Tunisia started the implementation of its "SINEAU" in March 2013 and Morocco initiated a similar study in April 2013. The partners of this project entitled "Creating Shared National Water Data Management Systems towards a Mediterranean Water Knowledge Hub" are looking for the UfM label in 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

9- Jordan King inaugurated the multi-million-dinar Disi Water Conveyance Project, which will pump 120,000 cubic metres of water daily to fill a growing gap between supply and demand. As water from the southern Disi aquifer started flowing into the capital’s networks, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation announced a comprehensive plan to distribute the project’s 100 million cubic metres per year across the governorates. Minister of Water and Irrigation Hazem Nasser said that the idea for the Disi project came about in 1991 but the scheme faced obstacles throughout the past decades due to several financial and technical challenges that delayed its implementation. Carried out on a build-operate-transfer basis by the Turkish company GAMA, a 325-kilometre pipeline was constructed to convey water from the ancient Disi aquifer in southern Jordan to Amman. The water is being transferred to Amman via a pipeline, which passes through several water stations, from Maan-Tafileh-Karak-Madaba and finally to Amman. The Disi project involves the drilling of 64 wells, 55 of which will be used for the generation of water, whilst nine wells will serve as piezometer wells to measure the water level. Forty six of the 55 water generation wells will be used for water extraction, while the remaining nine wells will be "on standby" and only used in cases of emergency. The 785 M€ Disi project went into implementation in June 2009 after the financial closure was signed. The government's equity in the project totals $400 million, $100 million of which was allocated as "standby" funding, to be used if international prices of construction materials, including steel, increase. The European Investment Bank and the French Development Agency extended two $100-million soft loans to the government for the project. Further information on EMWIS website.

10- In Jordan there is always a reason to feel alarmed, worried and skeptical about every project. Whether this is justified or not remains to be proven. For the Disi project there is a huge shadow of doubt that has emerged since 2009 when a scientific study published by Duke University reached a frightening conclusion that the water of the Disi aquifer contain very high levels of radioactivity that is detrimental to human health and may cause many health effects. Although all fossil water aquifers in the world contain various levels of radioactivity the one in Disi, according to the study is highly dangerous in its content. The study, wired throughout the world by Reuters caused panic in Jordan. The Ministry of Water and Irrigation did not help at that time by pointing accusation fingers at the fact that the main author of the study was an Israeli academic, who was assisted by a prominent Jordanian expert and other American researchers. The study occupied the psyche of the people in Jordan and almost all media outlets. No one cared to question the methodology which used sampling from a few wells in an area that has not been used for either drinking or agricultural purposes in the last decade. Moreover, Disi water has been used for drinking purposes in Aqaba since 30 years. Currently, Aqaba has the second lowest rate of cancer incident among Jordanian governorates (40 cases per 100,000 population) according to the National Cancer Registry for 2010. Obviously, Disi water has not caused a Cancer epidemic in Aqaba. The Disi water that currently reaches your home tank originates from a collection of 50 wells in the Disi Aquifer. Volumes of water are collected and then pumped to the mixing and treatment facilities in Dabouq and Abu Alanda.  Batir Wardam (a Jordanian environmentalist), said he trusts the sources consulted and in a country that is the 4th poorest in water availability in the world will drink the Disi water. As for anyone rightly concerned about reducing any potential of developing nasty diseases he suggested quitting smoking, cleaning the water tanks on the roofs of the households and fixing any problems of radon exposure in the house. In the meantime, he requested and asked the government for transparency and the continuous announcement of water quality for the public opinion. Further information on EMWIS website.

11- The Jordanian government announced earlier this month plans to move ahead with the Aqaba Desalinated Water Pipeline project, which will temporarily replace the multi-billion-dollar Red Sea-Dead Sea water conveyance project, according to Minister of Water and Irrigation Hazem al Nasser. “The Red-Dead Sea water project was not started because successive governments failed to give it due attention. In addition, some neighboring countries did not want the project to be implemented as we hoped,” Nasser told a workshop in Amman, organized by the Energy and Environment Sustainability Association. “We will start with an initial phase of the project by desalinating around 85 million cubic meters annually in Aqaba,” he said. “The wastewater arising from the desalinated water pipeline project will be channelled into the Dead Sea” through a 205-kilometer pipeline. The water levels in the Dead Sea are decreasing by one meter annually, according to government estimates. Adding the saline wastewater in the sea will help maintain its current levels. “Wastewater will be injected 100 meters beneath the level of the Dead Sea in order to make sure it mixes with the seawater,” Nasser said. It is hoped that the project will bridge the widening gap between the kingdom’s growing water needs and its available resources. “By 2035, water shortage will hit 200 million cubic meters annually,” Nasser warned. The Aqaba pipeline project will involve building a water intake with a capacity of 2.2 billion cubic meters per year on the Red Sea just north of the city of Aqaba. The desalination plant component will produce 85 million cubic meters of water annually, which will be transported to Amman via 48-kilometer-long pipeline. The Palestinian Authority recently expressed reservations about the Red-Dead canal, which has been championed by Israel and Jordan. Palestinian officials stipulated that they will not approve the Red-Dead Sea project unless the Palestinian Authority is granted the right to build a desalination plant on the Dead Sea to make use of al Fashakha Springs. Palestinian Water Minister Shaddad Attili added another condition: that the Palestinian territories be given the right to obtain water from Lake Tiberias if Jordan builds a desalination plant in Aqaba. Further information on EMWIS website.

12- A 5,000-year-old river could be resurrected to bring sustainable agriculture to one of the planet's rainiest yet driest deserts, according to a study that the country's government is now reviewing, and that proposes an ambitious engineering scheme for Egypt. The desert of the Sinai Peninsula receives the most rainfall of any part of Egypt — around 304 millimetres annually — but most of it is flowing out into the Mediterranean Sea without any benefit to agriculture. Now, researchers from Egypt's Al-Azhar University, Boston University and the University of North Carolina in the US — writing in a paper published online in Geomorphology (15 June) — propose redirecting rainwater in the Wadi El-Arish valley’s drainage area down the river’s former path, away from the sea, to an area where it can be used for irrigation. The geological record shows that the Sinai region was much wetter between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. Using satellite radar images to visualise ancient river beds that have since been buried under surface deposits, the team compared the modern day topography with the paths of the ancient river channels from this wetter period. The river was diverted from its original course when geological uplift formed an arch of stratified rock called an anticline that blocked its path. To do this, the team propose that a two-kilometre-long and six-metre-deep channel should be dug through the uplifted structure, to divert water back along the river’s previous course. They believe this could redirect enough runoff during flash floods to create 1,400 square kilometres of fertile land in the depression west of Gebel Halal, where surface clays, low groundwater salinity and a near-surface aquifer also offer promise for agriculture. The team have recently approached the Egyptian government through its Science and Technology Development Fund to further explore this irrigation concept. Further information on EMWIS website.

13- ACCIONA has laid the first stone in the new phase of the Fujairah desalination plant. Early on this year, ACCIONA was awarded the design-build-operate (7 years) contract for this new facility.  The overall project (design-build-operate) is worth more than 200 million US dollars (about 153 million euro). The enlargement will bring an additional capacity of 137,000m3/day, raising the existing plant's total capacity to 592,000m3. The enlarged facility is scheduled for completion in 28 months' time and is expected to service 500,000 people. This is ACCIONA Agua's third major deal in the Middle East. Blighted by water shortage, this is now one of the parts of the world with the greatest growth potential for desalination and water treatment overall. In October 2012, ACCIONA Agua obtained the US$100 million design-build-commission contract for the Al Jubail desal facility which will service both the city itself and its industrial complex in the Eastern Province, on the Saudi seaboard of the Persian Gulf. Later, ACCIONA Agua was awarded the O&M contract for the Haddah-1 and Arana-1 the wastewater treatment plants, located in Mecca Province, with a joint total capacity of 375,000 m3/day. Further information on EMWIS website.

14- In April, the University of Zagreb and the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences held a roundtable “Sustainable water management in the transboundary basins of the Neretva and Trebišnjica” (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro) to discuss the environmental, economic and legal aspects of cross-border water management of these basins. Scientists looked specifically at the “Upper Horizons” project (water transfer for hydropower) and its negative impacts on the Neretva River Delta in Croatia. They stressed the importance of preserving the natural and cultural values of the area, and proposed the formation of a nature park for the whole area. They also called for better coordination, both cross-border and cross-sector, in the management, use and protection of resources in the Neretva and Trebišnjica, and for development of a permanent system of measurement, monitoring and management of water resources in these basins. Further information on EMWIS website.

15- NGOs throughout the region welcomed the adoption of Guiding Principles for Sustainable Hydropower for the Danube basin at a high-level meeting of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River in Sarajevo recently. Representatives of Danube basin countries, including Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and BiH adopted guidelines for reducing the ecological damage of new hydropower projects. The document recommends keeping particularly sensitive river sections such as protected areas, stretches of high ecological status or headwaters free of hydropower development. It also promotes proper planning at national and regional levels in other sections of rivers. The Guiding Principles also suggests that hydropower plants must reduce damage to fish populations and other freshwater organisms as far as possible and explains how this can be achieved. Further information on EMWIS website.

16- A renewed focus on mega-dams will make matters worse in Africa and benefit companies, not people. The big, bad dams of past decades are back in style. In the 1950s and '60s, huge hydropower projects such as the Kariba, Akosombo and Inga dams were supposed to modernise poor African countries almost overnight. It didn't work out this way. As the independent World Commission on Dams found, such big, complex schemes cost far more but produce less energy than expected. Their primary beneficiaries are mining companies and aluminium smelters, while Africa's poor have been left high and dry. The Inga 1 and 2 dams on the Congo River are a case in point. After donors have spent billions of dollars on them, 85% of the electricity in the Democratic Republic of Congo is used by high-voltage consumers but less than 10% of the population has access to electricity. The communities displaced by the Inga and Kariba dams continue to fight for their compensation and economic rehabilitation after 50 years. Instead of offering a shortcut to prosperity, such projects have become an albatross on Africa's development. Large dams have also helped turn freshwater into the ecosystem most affected by species extinction. Under public pressure, the World Bank and other financiers largely withdrew from funding large dams in the mid-1990s. For nearly 20 years, the bank has supported mid-sized dams and rehabilitated existing hydropower projects instead. Following a trend set by new financiers from China and Brazil, the World Bank now wants to return to supporting mega-dams that aim to transform whole regions. In March, it argued that such projects could "catalyse very large-scale benefits to improve access to infrastructure services" and combat climate change at the same time. Its board of directors discussed recently the return to mega-dams as part of a new energy strategy. The World Bank has identified the $12bn Inga 3 Dam on the Congo River – the most expensive hydropower project ever proposed in Africa – and two other multi-billion dollar schemes on the Zambezi River as illustrative examples of its new approach. All three projects would primarily generate electricity for the mining companies and middle-class consumers of Southern Africa. Further information on EMWIS website.

17- New analysis by the World Bank shows that the world is still failing to achieve on its Millennium Development Goals for water. One target of the Millennium Development Goals is to halve the proportion of the population without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. However, while the world met the water goal five years ahead of schedule, access to sanitation is still lagging behind. Although there has been progress in the expansion of water and sanitation services, 780 million people across the globe still live without access to improved water sources, and 2.5 billion lack access to safe sanitation. Only 63 percent of the world’s population now has improved sanitation access, a figure projected to increase only to 67 percent by 2015, well below the 75 percent aim in the Millennium Development Goals. In World Bank beneficiary countries, access to improved water sources increased from 73 percent in 1990 to 86.4 percent in 2010, and access to improved sanitation from 42 percent to 56.3 percent. Social and financial considerations must also be addressed in the design, planning, and implementation of water and sanitation policies and facilities to keep services affordable for the poorest. Looking forward, the Bank says these challenges will be exacerbated by growing competition for water resources as urban areas and populations grow, land use changes, and climate change increases -  all issues at the core of the water-energy-food nexus. Further information on EMWIS website

18- An EU-funded Mediterranean cross-border cooperation project tackling the treatment of wastewater from olive mills organised a workshop on 3 July in the Italian city of Genoa to present the results achieved in its efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of olive oil extraction processes. The project ‘Mediterranean Cooperation in the Treatment and Valorisation of Olive Mill Wastewater’ (MEDOLICO) is funded under the Mediterranean Basin Cross-Border Cooperation programme (CBCMed). Workshop participants discussed cost-efficient solutions that allow the treatment and reuse of olive mill wastewater for irrigation. Market opportunities for recovered by-products during olive oil manufacturing - including energy, cosmetics, phytotherapy, and dietary supplements - were also addressed.  MEDOLICO’s budget is €1,964,500 of which 90% provided as ENPI contribution. Further information on EMWIS website

19- Innovative youths with scientific skills and entrepreneurial business mindsets worked together to find solutions for major regional challenges in the First Sci-preneurship Competition, which was held recently. Organised by Intel and INJAZ Al Arab, this 2-days competition aimed to strengthen and connect the importance of science with youth entrepreneurship in the MENA region. Participants from Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Morocco were assigned to create a product or provide a service that can help in solving the water problem in less than 24 hours. Students were introduced to issues of water shortage, water treatment and worldwide challenges of securing clean and enough water. Participating students were divided into teams based on their home countries; each team consisting of three INJAZ and Intel alumni. The Lebanese team got the highest scores based on their business plan, innovation, quality of presenting their product and their team spirit with a service to reuse distilled water from air conditioners. They will now start to market their product. Further information on EMWIS website

20- The first global map of vegetation from the recently launched Proba-V has been unveiled, demonstrating that the mini-satellite is on track to provide a 15-year legacy of global vegetation monitoring from space. Proba-V is designed to map land cover and vegetation growth across the entire planet every two days. The data can also be used for day-by-day tracking of extreme weather, alerting authorities to crop failures, monitoring inland water resources and tracing the steady spread of deserts and deforestation. Slightly larger than a washing machine, the miniature satellite was launched from French Guiana in the early hours of 7 May. Just over a week later, its Vegetation imager was switched on, in time to capture its first image over France’s west coast along the Bay of Biscay. The Spot-Vegetation mission, flown aboard both the Spot-4 and Spot-5 satellites, marked 15 years of service in May, but will come to an end after Proba-V takes over later this year. Achievements of the Vegetation imaging instruments were also highlighted at the conference. Proba-V will also bridge the gap in vegetation monitoring between Spot-Vegetation and the future Sentinel-3 mission, being developed for Europe’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme. Further information on EMWIS website.

21- The Committee of the Regions (CoR) has laid out ambitious targets on EU waste highlighting the important contribution waste management plays in creating a resource-efficient, more competitive Europe. In a full show of force, Europe's cities and regions called for all its recommendations to be taken on-board by the European Commission who is expected to release its proposals on the issue next year. With waste management being one of the largest challenges facing Europe's local and regional authorities, the Committee was asked to prepare its position on EU waste targets ahead of the European Commission's communication expected to be published in 2014. The opinion, presented by Michel Lebrun (BE/EPP), Member of the Parliament of the French-speaking Community, argues that to achieve success, targets must reflect the differing levels of progress and resources available between Member States and local authorities. Mr Lebrun, who had his report on EU waste targets endorsed by an overwhelming majority during the CoR's July plenary, pointed out that, “Each year the European Union throws away 3bn tons of waste – 6 tons of solid waste per person per year. It's not just harmful for the environment but has a direct impact on human health. As we are still in an economic crisis, it is essential to ensure that all policies support economic development. Waste management is a priority that can support competition with the number one goal of decoupling waste production from economic growth". On request from the European Commission, the CoR's opinion entitled "The review of the European Union's Key Waste Targets", argues that EU targets must consider the reasons for non-compliance with objectives being proportionate to account for the differing levels of services, infrastructure and financial investment in waste management between local authorities. Mr Lebrun's opinion also set-outs clear EU targets in waste management and proposes: reducing 2010 levels of waste by 10% by 2020; exploring options to raise the recycling of solid municipal waste target to 70% by 2025; ensuring 100% all waste is subject to selective sorting by 2020; exploring options to raise targets for recycling plastics to 70% and for glass, metal, paper, cardboard and wood to 80%; prohibiting the use of biodegradable waste for landfill by 2020; banning the incineration of recyclable and biowaste by 2020 excluding plants which achieve efficiency through heat-only generation, Combined Heat and Power taking account of the physico-chemical characteristics of the waste. Further information on EMWIS website.

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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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22- Egypt: Dr. Mohamed Abdel Motaleb new Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Motaleb has been nominated new minister of Water Resources and Irrigation in the new Egyptian government. Dr. Abdel Motaleb was a general water director in the ministry as well as Director of Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI).

23- France: Election of Jean-Luc Ventura, President of Synteau (French National Union of water treatment enterprises). Further information on EMWIS website

24- French Consul General in Jerusalem, Frederic Desagneaux awarded the head of the Water Authority and Palestinian Minister of water: Dr. Shaddad Attili the highest decoration of the French Republic: a Medal of Honour. Further information on EMWIS website

25- France: INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research) is recruiting 51 experienced researchers in 2013 with experience in defining and implementing research projects. Applications are open until 2 September 2013. On the other hand, Irstea (French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture) is recruiting 11 posts of directors, engineers, technicians and support staff to research. Applications are to be submitted until August 26, 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

26- The Climate Food and Farming (CLIFF) Research Network is a collaborative initiative of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the Universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus. Each year, starting in 2011, CLIFF has provided small grants to support graduate student research on mitigation of climate change in smallholder agricultural systems. In 2013, they invite applications from students in developing countries, enrolled in PhD programs, for sponsored short-term scientific training and research stays at CGIAR centres or affiliated research institutions. Applications must be submitted on or before the 20th of August 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

27- Within the project “UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme” in the framework of the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Capacity-Building of Human Resources which was established in November 2000, the Government of Japan offers 20 fellowships per year, for the twelfth consecutive year, to be awarded to deserving candidates from developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs), included from the Mediterranean region, who are eager to undertake research on one or more of the following topics: • Environment (with particular emphasis on water sciences); • Intercultural Dialogue; • Information and Communication Technologies; and • Peaceful conflict resolution. The applications must be received within 30 August 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

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PUBLICATIONS
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28- Google Inc launches Open Data platform for natural disasters: Google Inc launches an Open Data platform that will seek to make critical information more accessible around natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The data will be provided by government agencies including the Central Weather Bureau, the Water Resources Agency, the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, the Directorate General of Highways and the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction. Google Crisis Response is a project of Google.org. It includes a staff of engineers, product managers, and partnership professionals who are dedicated to working on efforts that focus on making critical information more accessible during natural disasters. Further information on EMWIS website.

29- The EU Water Initiative (EUWI) Africa Working Group (AWG) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) released a report titled 'Mapping of Financial Support to Transboundary Water Cooperation in Africa,' which intends to provide the basis for increasing aid effectiveness and reducing duplication of effort, as well as to provide an overview of current support for the implementation of the work programme of the African Ministerial Conference on Water (AMCOW). The report is based on a survey of development partners regarding their policy priorities in transboundary water management, financial support to transboundary basins, financial support to multi-basin projects or regional institutions, and non-earmarked transboundary water management support. The survey also addressed questions to regional economic communities (RECs) and transboundary basin organizations (TBOs), asking about their institutional, planning and financial frameworks, as well as their sources of finance. Further information on EMWIS website

30- The first meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Expert Group took place in Lisbon in June. Promoted by the MED SPRING (Mediterranean Science, Policy, Research and Innovation Gateway) project and financed by the 7th FP, it involved 50 experts from 28 organisations based in the Mediterranean. Three main societal challenges were discussed: water resources, food quality and security, and energy. The former Director General of the International Water Management Institute discussed the concept of water productivity. You can view a video of his discussion online. Further information on EMWIS website

31- "UN: climate danger for Middle East, North Africa": A report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), released at a conference in Cairo, Egypt on 1–5 March, reviews studies and models of predicted climate-change impacts over the period 1980–99 and for 2080–99 — including reports from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). According to the report, more than 80 per cent of models show that water availability in the regions will decrease by up to 40 millimetres per year. With rainfall decreasing, growing seasons will be shorter for farmers. Further information on EMWIS website.

32- "Nanotechnology for Water and Wastewater Treatment": Despite the numerous books and textbooks available on the subject, there is a gap in the literature that bridges the space between the synthesis (conventional and more greener methods) and use (applications in the drinking water production, wastewater treatment and environmental remediation fields) of nanotechnology on the one hand and its potential environmental implications (fate and transport of nano-materials, toxicity, Life Cycle Assessments) on the other. This book explores these topics with a broad-based multidisciplinary scope and can be used by engineers and scientists outside the field and by students at both undergraduate and post graduate level. Further information on EMWIS website.

33- "Some Methodologies of Agricultural Knowledge Management for Arab Users" b y Karianet: The overall purpose of KariaNet is to integrate learning, knowledge management and knowledge networking into development practice in ten countries in MENA with a focus on creating the critical mass of KariaNet members that are aware of the value of KM-KS in practice. An effort to streamline the concepts and methods around practices has come out as a need, and this is a manual in Arabic by Dr. Mohamed Kassem on Some Methodologies of Agricultural Knowledge Management for Arab Users. Further information on EMWIS website.

34- Guiding Principles on Sustainable Hydropower in Danube basin. The Guidelines provide relevant information for potential investors in the hydropower sector as well as NGOs and the public. Further information on EMWIS website.

35- Arab World Water - AWW's August 2013 Newsletter: AWW’s August 2013 issue is currently available. Arab Water World (AWW) magazine is a leading B2B magazine that provides information about the latest developments and technologies related to the Water, Wastewater, Desalination & Energy sectors. Further information on EMWIS website.

36- The fifth issue of the Dinaric Arc Sustainable Hydropower Initiative (DASHI) Newsletter is available now. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
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37- The 2nd Call for JPI Urban Europe Project Proposals: The Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe invites researchers, practitioners, innovators and other stakeholders to propose international research and innovation projects to develop European urban areas. A total of approximately €15 million will be provided by national funding agencies from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The call for pre-proposals is open from 18 June to 18 September 2013 (12.00 noon CET). In November applicants will be invited to enter the second stage of the procedure and the call for full proposals will close on the 21 January 2014 (12:00 noon CET). Further information on EMWIS website.

38- Call for proposals for Twinning in Algeria: "Support to the Algerian National Observatory of the Environment and Sustainable Development (ONEDD) to improve its operational capabilities and the implementation of the National Environmental Information System (EIS)": EuropeAid/134783/D/ACT/DZ.  The deadline for submission of Twinning proposals by the Authority of National Contact Points is 12 September 2013, at 12:00 local time. Further information on EMWIS website.

39- Call for proposals: CIP-EIP-ECO-INNOVATION-2013. The Call CIP-EIP-ECO-INNOVATION-2013 will close on 05 September 2013 at 17:00:00, Brussels local time. This call is open to all legal persons that are based in eligible countries but the priority will be given to Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Calls support Eco-innovative projects in different sectors which aim at the prevention or reduction of environmental impacts or which contribute to the optimal use of resources. However, more specific priorities are being set up considering their important environmental impact and policy priorities of the European Union: Materials Recycling; Sustainable Building Products; Food and Drink Sector; Water and Greening businesses. Further information on EMWIS website.

40- Call for expression of interest to host permanent secretariat of Future Earth: Interested parties are invited in this first stage of a three-step process to express their interest in hosting the permanent secretariat for Future Earth by 23 September. The Science and Technology Alliance for Global Sustainability is launching an open competitive process for the selection of a permanent secretariat for Future Earth, a 10-year international research programme dedicated to generating new knowledge for challenges posed by global environmental change and transitions towards global sustainability. The call is being managed by the International Council for Science (ICSU). Further information on EMWIS website

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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41- Call for abstracts for the Scientific Meeting WIS MED DAY: "Water Information Systems in the Mediterranean Region": The Moroccan Association of Young Geomatics (AMJG) announced the organization of a scientific meeting which has as theme "Water Information Systems in the Mediterranean Region", in partnership with the Faculty of Sciences of Rabat and the University Mohammed V Agdal, which will take place at the Faculty of Sciences Rabat - Morocco, 20 & 21 March 2014. Deadline for receipt of abstracts: November 15, 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

42- Call for abstracts for the second international conference on water and energy "ICWE'13": Membrane based Wastewater Treatment and Reuse: to be held in Chlef (Algeria) next 16-17, December 2013. The call for abstracts is open, and its deadline is due by: 30/07/2013. Further information on EMWIS website

43- First Call for Papers and Invitation: The International Symposium on "Emerging Pollutants in Irrigation Waters : Origins, Fate, Risks, and Mitigation, November 25-28, 2013, Tunis, Tunisia.  Deadline for abstract submission was extended to July 30th, 2013. It is held in the framework of the German-Tunisian joint research project EMPOWER Tunisia. Further information on EMWIS website

44- The conference WFD Lille 2013 (4-6/11/2013) will review technical challenges faced by Member States, stakeholder organisations and scientists, while integrating climate change components (understanding, prevention, preparedness) into the River Basin Management Planning under the Water Framework Directive (WFD), in particular adaptation measures expected to take place within the 2nd RBMP. To submit a poster abstract, please submit your abstract to the Secretariat  (closing date is 30th September). Further information on EMWIS website. 

45- Request by he Swedish Water House (SWH)to submit documents for study on results and risks connected to Transboundary Water Management projects and initiatives, under the auspices of Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). If you have any documents that you think would be of use to : Ms Karin Glaumann by August 31 the latest. All contributions are most appreciated! Further information on EMWIS website.

46- Call for abstracts for the WATERBIOTECH International Conference on "Biotechnology for Africa’s sustainable water supply", to be held in Marrakech, Morocco between 08-10 January, 2014. This conference is the closing event of WATERBIOTECH project, a Coordination Action supported by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The deadline for abstract submission is July 30^th 2013. Further information on EMWIS website

47- Call for abstracts for the HIC 2014 – 11th International Conference on HydroInformatics: "Informatics and the Environment: Data and Model Integration in a Heterogeneous Hydro World", 17-21/08/2014, NY - USA. Abstracts must be submitted via the online submission system no later than September 30, 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

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TRAINING
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48- Capacity building on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Zagreb, 17-18 June: The training entitled “Strengthening Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) policies in the Mediterranean” organized within the framework of the Horizon 2020 CB/MEP project. On the last day of the training the 4th draft of the Mediterranean Strategy on ESD was reviewed resulting to the final draft text to be adopted in Monaco on 21 October 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

[2013/09/09 - 2013/09/20] 16th Edition of the International Summer School on Regulation of Local Public Services, Torino, Italy

Further information on EMWIS website.

[2013/09/09 - 2013/09/27] Integrated Sustainable Coastal Development – MENA region, Stockholm, Sweden

Further information on EMWIS website

[2013/09/30 - 2013/10/04] Optimal Design & Operation of RO Systems, L'Aquila, Italy

Further information on EMWIS website

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EVENTS (Full Agenda)
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PROJECTS (Projects database)
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WATER PROJECTS DATABASE (MEDA-NIPs, MEDA-Water, LIFE, SMAP, INCO-MED, FP4-FP7, INTERREG, etc.)

Halting Desertification in the Jucar River Basin (HALT-JÚCAR-DES). Further information on EMWIS website.

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