EMWIS Flash N°114, October 2013

EMWIS Flash - October 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 & check our page at facebook Monthly Flash produced by the EMWIS Technical Unit- OIEAU, CEDEX, SOGESID- Mediterranean Water Information Mechanism / Geo-Catalogue / UfM-Water

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In this issue N°114 (www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash114)
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HEADLINE
1- Earth Observation for water resources management in Africa
IN BRIEF
2- 7th World Water Forum: First Announcement

3- UfM Water Governance and Financing project: national consultation workshops in Jordan and Tunisia
4- 'Integrated Programme for Protection of the Lake Bizerte against Pollution’ labelled by UfM
5- MSSD: Insufficient steps taken towards better water management
6- Water holds key to sustainable development, UN chief tells Budapest summit
7- Preparation of the 5th assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
8- EEA: Charging full cost can encourage more water efficient use
9- France: Michel Vauzelle proposals for the Mediterranean
10- France: State contracts to support industrial sectors: water, waste and energy
11- France & Morocco: A Moroccan delegation visited the Languedoc -Roussillon (south of France)
12- GWP Highlights Activities in Egypt
13- Egypt’s water crisis: a recipe for disaster
14- Egypt: Ethiopian dam plans could dramatically cut the Nile's flow
15- Algeria: €1.2 million from the EU to fight against floods

16- Tunisia: Agricultural Reform Challenges
17- Tunisia: A new proximity communication campaign in the waste sector
18- Morocco is ready for Industrial waste management
19- Lebanon to attack the mountain of waste in the city of Sidon
20- EU-Palestine water cooperation stronger after implementation of research project
21- Palestinians, Israelis discuss water in latest peace talks
22- Water treatment plants in Europe: new data viewer
23- Satellite flood maps reach crisis teams via Internet
24- VITO has launched a new portal making available free SPOT-Vegetation data
25- Agriculture Stakeholders Join Forces at World Irrigation Forum
26- Flood risk-preparedness: Integrating GMES Emergency Services with satellite navigation and communication
27- ESA & World Bank: Earth Observation for Green Growth
28- Water Footprinting: How to Address Water Use in Life Cycle Assessment?

29- INTERPOL and partners crack down on illegal e-waste trade

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- About 100 participants attended the Tiger 2013 workshop that was held in Tunis on 21-22 October 2013 to look at the achievements of the initiative and plan the future. The workshop was co-organised by the European Space Agency and the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) that became a new regional training center of the Tiger Africa initiative. Tiger is an initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA) that aims to assist African countries to overcome problems faced in the collection, analysis and use of water related geo-information by exploiting the advantages of Earth Observation (EO) technology. EMWIS is one of the international partners of ESA with a view to transfer the lessons learnt in Africa to the Mediterranean area. As a result of the joint workshops organized by EMWIS and ESA in 2010 and 2012, some capacity building activities have been designed and integrated into the MedWIS project under preparation in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean. A large spectrum of applications was presented during the Tiger workshop, a training kit based on these examples as well as the draft Water Observation Information System –WOIS- were demonstrated. WOIS is a software toolkit based on open source solution, with applications using satellite data such as: water bodies’ delineation, historical flood mapping and flood monitoring, Hydrological characterization and modelling, water quality monitoring, soil moisture estimation, etc.…  In order to move towards operational services that could be used by water resources managers in their daily activities, a number of tracks were proposed, in particular: proving the reliability of EO observation methods compared to more traditional approaches, ensuring that EO for water is part of governmental budget, supporting continuous dialogue between policy/decision makers and EO scientists. Further information on EMWIS website.
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IN BRIEF (Full news)
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2- The extensive network of World Water Council members stands ready to support the preparation of the 7th World Water Forum by mobilizing all its areas of expertise and by working together with all stakeholders to make the next World Water Forum a great success.” Benedito Braga, World Water Council President. The World Water Council is pleased to inform you that the 7th World Water Forum has issued its First Announcement. This publication brings to light the initial version of the Forum’s framework which will serve as guiding principles for the work leading all the way to 2015 and beyond. Please visit the 7th World Water Forum website to download the First Announcement at the following address: worldwaterforum7.org . The 7th World Water Forum will take place in Daegu Gyeongbuk in the Republic of Korea from 12 to 17 April 2015. The next milestone of the preparatory process is the 2nd Stakeholders Consultation Meeting on 27 and 28 February 2014, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea. Further information on EMWIS website.

3- The UfM-labelled project ‘Governance & Financing for the Mediterranean Water Sector’ initiated a national policy dialogue in Jordan during a first consultation workshop on 23 October in Amman. Officially launched in May 2013, this regional project is jointly implemented by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med). Its core objective is to diagnose key governance bottlenecks to mobilising financing through public private partnerships (PPP) for the Mediterranean water sector and to support the development of consensual action plans based on international good practices.  Similar to the work in Jordan, the First National Consultation Workshop in Tunisia was held in Tunis on 1 October bringing together in a constructive policy dialogue more than 60 participants representing different stakeholders, including national authorities, policy and decision makers, users, international organisations and donors, and research institutes and universities. Participants particularly highlighted the need to address the declining performance of the water sector and to reflect strategically on the potential opportunities and roles of private sector participation in the specific context of Tunisia. Further information on EMWIS website

4- The Senior Officials of the 43 Members States of the UfM approved during the Senior Officials Meeting in Vilnius on 3-4 October, the labeling of the ‘Integrated Programme for Protection of the Lake Bizerte against Pollution’. With a view to contributing to the sustainable protection of the Mediterranean Sea, this project will allow to implement sustainable methods of protection and prevention of all sources of pollution “hot spots” that could affect the environmental quality of marine and coastal ecosystems and the quality of life in the region of Bizerte in the North of Tunisia. Connected to the Mediterranean Sea it is also closely situated to natural reserves on land (Ichkeul Park) and in the sea (marine protected areas of Cap Blanc and Cap Serrat) and has been widely accepted for over a decade to be a hotspot of marine pollution of regional impact1 and has been placed at the top of the depollution priorities of the Tunisian government and within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean initiative Horizon 2020. With a total budget of over 71.5 million Euros over a 5-year period (starting in 2014), the project, which is promoted and commissioned by the Ministry of Equipment and Environment of Tunisia, will aim to eliminate the main sources of all kinds of pollution which are contaminating the lake or the bordering populations in order to guarantee a healthy environmental state, to secure a level of quality of life and sustainable urban and economic activities such as agriculture, industry, tourism, aquaculture or fisheries. Further information on EMWIS website

5- Plan Bleu regularly monitors and calculates indicators for the implementation of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD). In May 2013, sustainable development policies in the Mediterranean were shown to have improved but remain below the joint objectives of the countries concerned. This is particularly true for issues concerning water use. Efforts are being made almost everywhere, often with considerable improvements in more or less all territories but still seen as insufficient. 5 of 34 indicators used to gauge the improvements, concern water resources, their use and their efficiency. The population is increasing in the Mediterranean region while its natural resources are not. In this way, the pressure on the renewable resource is often great, particularly in rural areas in the south. This is the case for countries that have large desert areas like Egypt, Libya and Israel. The MSSD places emphasis on the need to reduce the volumes of water that are lost or wasted, which can be significant. Plan Bleu's report highlights the often weak irrigation efficiency. In the south, a large quantity of the water needed is lost in water supply networks.  The Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development ultimately relies on public research efforts. This represents less than 1% of GDP almost everywhere in the south and 2% in the EU. As for EU aid provided for southern countries, this is half of the amount advocated by the MSSD, which, overall, does not help towards efficient water use. Further information on EMWIS website.

6- The Budapest Water Summit brought together participants representing governments, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector. The Summit discussed, in particular, the developments of water-related goals for the post-2015 development agenda. The Summit took place in the context of the UN International Year of Water Cooperation 2013, the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) 'The Future We Want,' and the ongoing post-2015 development agenda process to negotiate sustainable development goals (SDGs). The meeting included the high-level Summit and, in parallel, the Science Forum, the Civil Society Forum, the Youth Forum and the Business Leaders Forum. The Summit and Fora addressed themes including: integrated water resources management (IWRM); access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); good water governance; the water, energy and food nexus; water in the context of the green economy; and investment and finance. Addressing the opening session of the Summit, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underscored the multiplying impact of climate change on water scarcity, calling for less water-intensive and more climate-resilient crops. The Summit adopted the Budapest Statement, calling for a water-related SDG and the establishment of an intergovernmental mechanism on water. Further information on EMWIS website.

7- The 12th session of Working Group I (WGI) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was held from 23-26 September 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden.  The WGI session focused on finalizing its contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). The process to prepare the AR5 was launched by the IPCC in 2008. The WGI contribution is the first in the series of four reports with the WGII assessment on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability scheduled for finalization in March 2014; the WGIII contribution on options for mitigating climate change to be finalized in April 2014, and the AR5 Synthesis Report to be completed in October 2014. During the four-day meeting, delegates considered the WGI contribution to the IPCC AR5 titled, “Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis". At the end of the meeting, WGI approved the Summary for Policymakers (SPM) and accepted the underlying report including the Technical Summary and annexes. Subsequently, the IPCC convened to formally adopt the work by WGI. The Summary for Policymakers also incorporates, for the first time, information on, inter alia, paleoclimate reconstruction studies, geoengineering, and an emissions-based perspective on drivers of climate change. Further information on EMWIS website

8- Flat-fee water charges are still common in parts of Europe. Such schemes, where users pay a fee regardless of the volume used, do not encourage efficient behaviour, either in households or agriculture, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The EEA study, 'Assessment of cost recovery through water pricing', considers water pricing in several EU countries: Croatia, England and Wales, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain. Water is under stress in many parts of Europe. Even in regions which usually experience a high level of rainfall, abstracting and cleaning water can have a high economic and environmental cost. This means that Europe needs to redouble efforts in using water more efficiently to avoid undermining its economy. Inefficient water use impacts hard on the resources needed by ecosystems and people. In response to these problems, the report states that water should be priced at a level which both encourages efficient use and properly reflects its cost. This should include all costs of purifying and transporting the water. In addition, environmental and resource costs of water use, such as pollution and the depletion of resources, should also be internalised into water prices, the report says. Such charges should factor in lost 'ecosystem services' which also require water, for example wetlands carry out valuable services such as water purification and flood prevention. Further information on EMWIS website

9- Michel Vauzelle, Member of the French Parliament and President of Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur (PACA) region was mandated by the President François Hollande to make proposal to relaunch the “Mediterranean of projects”. The Vauzelle report entitled "Managing and shaping our common destiny with the Mediterranean youth" was presented to François Hollande on 9 October 2013. It lists nine proposals to develop cooperation in the Mediterranean and meet the expectations of the population in the priority areas of education, vocational training, employment and quality of life. It encourages coordination of public and private initiatives and provides an effective strategy to support civil society and development actors in the Mediterranean. One of the  proposals suggests making Marseille a euro-Mediterranean “hub”, with the relocation of more Mediterranean institutions to the city. Further information on EMWIS website

10- Three contracts for industrial sectors were presented to the French Strategic Committee of eco-industries: renewable energy, water and waste. They mutually engage the French State and industrial sector in a long term development strategy.  Such a strategy for long-term aims to strengthen solidarity between businesses eco-industries, develop relationships between large companies and SMEs, to ensure the conditions for a increased international French competitiveness. The water sector, driven by 900 industrial and service companies, representing 38 % of the market for eco -industries (€ 16 billion in sales per year) and employs 124,000 people. For this sector, the challenge is to anticipate the mutations linked to global change (climate, resources , population growth and migration). " The government is committed to maintain and develop public support, particularly through the public Investment Bank (BPI) for future demonstrators, " around unifying themes such as: the water purification for sustainable cities or smart water networks. Further information on EMWIS website

11- A Moroccan delegation visited from 8 to 11 October 2013, the Languedoc -Roussillon (south of France ) to discuss about "water". Received by "Southern France Development" and Swelia network, the delegation consisted of Moroccan policymakers and professionals from the water sector, as well as representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture  Interior, Energy and the National Offices for Water and Electricity. The program included a visit on to Ecosite at "Pays de Thau" and the following days to two water treatment plants and the BRL group Nîmes. In addition, the Moroccan professionals and officials were informed about the Dunetec project, which aims at desalinating seawater by solar energy. Later in October 2013, French water companies visited  Morocco to introduce them to the south of Morocco (region of Laayoune and Doukkala) development projects . Further information on EMWIS website

12- The September issues of News Flows, the newsletter of the Global Water Partnership (GWP), features articles on several GWP conferences and projects, including on: flood management in Pakistan; groundwater management in Peru; and climate resilience in the Nile Basin. A workshop organized by GWP Egypt and the Delta Alliance identified water storage among farming communities as a critical component in understanding climate resilience in Egypt. The workshop, which took place from 16-17 June 2013, in Cairo, Egypt, identified country level pilot projects, and agreed on objectives and outcomes for pilot activities. These activities will be incorporated into a project proposal for building Egypt's climate resilience. The workshop and project will contribute to GWP's Global Delta Governance Programme and the Enabling Delta Life initiative. Further information on EMWIS website

13- Egypt has been suffering from severe water scarcity in recent years. Uneven water distribution, misuse of water resources and inefficient irrigation techniques are some of the major factors playing havoc with water security in the country. Being more or less an arid country, Egypt is heavily dependent on rain in other countries to support its rapidly growing population and development. The River Nile is the lifeline of the country as it services the country’s industrial and agricultural demand and is the primary source of drinking water for the population.  Egypt is facing an annual water deficit of around 7 billion cubic metres.  Egypt controls the majority of the water resource extracted from the Nile River due to a colonial-era treaty, which guaranteed Egypt 90% share of its water, and prevented their neighbours from extracting even a single drop without permission. However, countries along the Nile such as Burundi and Ethiopia are taking advantage of the political strife that has engulfed Egypt and are gaining more control over extraction. The water issue in Egypt is rapidly assuming alarming proportion. By the year 2020, Egypt will be consuming 20% more water than it has. With its loosening grip on the Nile, water scarcity could endanger the country’s stability and regional dominance. It is imperative on the Egyptian government  and the entire population to act swiftly and decisively to mitigate water scarcity, implement water conservation techniques and control water pollution develop plans that would install more efficient irrigation techniques, and control water pollution in order to avoid a disaster. Further information on EMWIS website

14- A group of Egyptian academics and experts have declared their opposition to the current plans for the US$4.8 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam — on which work has started, and which will be Africa's largest hydroelectric power plant when completed — because they believe it will damage their country. Egypt's Nile Basin Group was set up to assess the possible threat from the dam, which will lie close to Ethiopia's border with Sudan. Its members warn that the structure could slash the Nile's flow, especially in Egypt and Sudan, which depend on the river's waters.  "Given the massive size of the dam, it could lose as much as three billion cubic metres of water to evaporation each year."   Egyptian experts say that the huge proposed reservoir would normally take up to 20 years to fill, but Ethiopia intends to achieve this in just five years, consuming about a fifth of the Blue Nile's annual flow. That, argues Noureddin, would lead to "catastrophic" impacts on Egypt's agriculture. Further information on EMWIS website.

15- The European Union is supporting Algeria in its defence against natural disasters, funding a study that will define a national strategy to fight against floods in Algeria. The results are expected to be released mid-2015. During the past 12 years, Algeria has seen devastating floods that have mainly affected big cities and urban centres, resulting in loss of human lifes and considerable material damage. The EU-funded study will enable: - An audit of the existing data related to floods on all the Algerian territory. - To identify the causes of the floods. - To suggest a coherent and efficient set of measures to prevent from and fight against floods. - To train staff to master the specific calculating and mapping tools that will help define the flood-prone areas and the flood risks depending on the stakes. Further information on EMWIS website

16- Tunisia has an advanced agricultural sector strategy, but many challenges remain to pursue greater environmentally and socially sustainable development.  The challenges are similar for all countries on the shores of the sea, but the solutions vary considerably. Attempts have been made to harmonize the different agricultural policies and practices, with the ultimate goal of liberalizing the Euro-Mediterranean trade of agricultural products; however, Arab states on the southern shore and European Member  States on the northern shore still have highly protectionist measures to ensure competitiveness and cushion the effects of price volatility inherent in agricultural markets. In Tunisia, the agricultural sector represents an important part of economic and social life.  Irrigation has fostered agricultural production and, especially in Tunisia, this has helped boost cereal production to meet food security needs of the population. Despite this, yields are generally insufficient to meet domestic demand and over the past ten years the percentage of irrigated land over the total agricultural area has decreased. The challenge is the constant and exponential migration from rural areas to urban peripheries. From 1990 to 2003, the percentage of people living in rural areas decreased from 42.1% to 32.6% with 27% of the poorer populations living in the countryside. Further information on EMWIS website.

17- How can a central national waste management institution with little community presence be of any help to more than 250 municipalities in their communication with citizens on the topic of waste collection, knowing that each of these municipalities have different ways and times of waste collection and little to no communication capacities? This is the challenge currently faced by the Tunisian National Waste Management Agency, ANGed. It answered with “Houmti Tayyara”, “my neighbourhood is great” in Tunisian Arabic. Houmti Tayyara is a set of communication supports and processes designed to restore the dialogue – and trust - between the municipalities and their citizens on waste collection with the help of local civil society organizations.  Further information on EMWIS website.

18- Although in infancy, the management of industrial waste begins to gain ground. An approach that is both economically and environmentally sustainable in Morocco. This was the theme of the professional workshop on regulatory and economic challenges of industrial waste sector held on October 21, 2013  in Casablanca (Morocco). An opportunity to bring together all stakeholders to present the general guidelines for managing this type of waste and the structuring of an appropriate legal framework. Officials stressed the need to introduce incentives to bring all stakeholders to adhere to this logic and to enrol in a scheme of control and sanction. Achieving its objectives also depends on innovation. And new business models were presented, namely the exchange of waste initiated by the Sustainable Development Committee of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) and implemented by the Moroccan Cleaner Production Centre (CMPP). This virtual platform is dedicated to the organization for trading waste (materials). Morocco produces 1.5 million tons of industrial waste annually with 250,000 tonnes of hazardous waste and 6,600 tons of medical waste. Of this total, only 23% are recycled when 73% are discharged in landfills and 4% used for energy recovery. Further information on EMWIS website

19- At the entrance of the port of Sidon, a coastal city of 250,000 inhabitants located south of Beirut, fishermen set up their stalls behind hail the customer. Nazih Sonbol, he has already finished his day. Exhausted by his fishing trip, he recites, in October, the same lament that his colleagues: " The traps are filled with plastic bags , nets break under the weight of the waste, as the fish is scarce funds sailors are polluted with filth. "The source of these evils ? The "mountain" of garbage, the largest open dump Lebanon, which borders the coast. A few hundred meters south of the historic heart of Sidon, that almost forty years that this discharge contaminates the sea and its resources. But Nazih Sonbol, Number 2 fishermen's union in the city, is optimistic : the rehabilitation of the wild dump, became the symbol of environmental mismanagement in Lebanon has finally started. Supervised by the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP), the project is carried out by Suez Environnement and Al -Jihad for Commerce and Contracting, a Lebanese company. Further information on EMWIS website

20- The production of a business plan, enhanced capacities in research fund raising, technical knowledge, and stronger potential for more integration in the European Research Area: these are some of the outcomes celebrated during the final conference of the PERA (Palestine for European Research Area) project, which has taken place in Tulkram, Palestine. The meeting examined the positive impacts that the EU supported project has had on the capacities of the Palestine Technical University research centre, working towards answering some of Palestine’s most important societal challenges related to water and energy scarcity issues in Palestine.  The project was able to weave together structurally important support schemes in a politically and geographically complex context such as Palestine. These achievements and milestones have also been presented in a video, which illustrates PERA’s legacy of laying the foundations of future EU-Palestinian Energy and Water Science and Technology collaboration. Further information on EMWIS website

21- Palestinian and Israeli negotiators have held a new round of peace talks in Jerusalem, a Palestinian official said, it had focused on the issue of water resources. The official did not elaborate, but the question of water rights is one of the core issues that must be settled in any peace deal. Israel controls most of the underground water resources in the West Bank, and the Palestinians want a more equitable share of them. US Secretary of State John Kerry said that negotiations, which take place under an American-imposed media blackout, have "intensified. "It is no secret to anybody that this is and remains a difficult process, there is no shortage of passionate sceptics," he added. Further information on EMWIS website

22- Treatment of urban wastewater is crucial for protecting the natural environment against pollution. A new data viewer from the European Environment Agency (EEA) allows users to access data on urban wastewater and  treatment plants. The new data viewer, part of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) has been developed to facilitate the use and display of data already reported under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The new UWWTD data viewer allows users to create overview graphs and tables on a range of parameters – for example, the size distributions of treatment plants. Query results can be exported in Excel format for further analysis. An overview is included of direct links to national websites for water/waste water information for public use, e.g.,  French, Irish. More direct sharing of data from such national systems is central in the Structured Information and Implementation Frameworks (SIIFs) to be progressively implemented for the UWWTD in the next years. The Environment DG European Commission, EEA and Member States are working together for this exercise. Further information on EMWIS website

23- Building on its use of satellites for responding to disasters, ESA has helped to create a service that makes flood maps available simply via the Internet. Knowing the extent of a flood and understanding how it might develop is essential for teams responding to the emergency. Traditionally, this is often worked out using ground and airborne sensors along with historical flood maps.  Near-real time satellite radar measurements are processed to create location-specific flood maps and deliver them via the Internet. Satellite readings are processed using cloud computing and made available within hours to workstations as well as common devices such as PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. The service provides historical flood maps for crisis planning, near-real time flood maps for use by emergency response units, and damage assessment maps after a flood. The service was recently introduced to around 70 people from emergency organisations in Austria, Styria and Slovenia who gathered in Bad Radkesburg, Austria, for a disaster exercise. Further information on EMWIS website

24- Good news if you are interested in vegetation satellite imagery! VITO has launched a new portal making available free SPOT-Vegetation data. All VEGETATION products older than three months are available free of charge. Also after the end of the SPOT-VEGETATION mission, scheduled for May 31 2014, these products will continue to be distributed through this platform.  Via this portal VITO will also distribute all Earth observation data and products processed by VITO. This means that you will also be able to request the decadal syntheses of MetOp-AVHRR , Envisat-Meris, and of course all PROBA-V products via this product distribution portal. Further information on EMWIS website

25- Stakeholders concerned with water management and food security recently gathered for the First World Irrigation Forum in Turkey. A GWP delegation participated and discussed future collaboration possibilities with forum organiser ICID (The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage). Around 700 people from 62 countries got together to discuss the water challenges affecting the agricultural sector. The ICID, established in 1950, is recognized as the leading international technical network of professionals in more than 100 countries working for sustainable water management for food security. GWP will encourage its regional and country water partnerships to link up with National ICID Committees where possible, and a stronger GWP-ICID technical collaboration will also be explored. Potential joint initiatives for floods, droughts and climate services was also discussed, and GWP agreed to engage with ICID on relevant drought and flood management activities. Further information on EMWIS website

26- FLOODIS EU FP7 Project had kicked-off on 15 October 2013 at the Higher Institute on Territorial Systems for Innovation (SiTI) in Turin, Italy. Integrating GMES Emergency Services with satellite navigation and communication for establishing a flood information service (FLOODIS) is a collaborative project funded under FP7-SPACE-2013-1 within the framework of the SP1-Cooperation.  FLOODIS will provide an accurate location-based application for portable devices. The proposed solution closes a critical gap for disaster management teams, civil protection, field/emergency response units to better address and mitigate crisis situations arising before, during, and after heavy flooding. The project will provide an open source, location-based smartphone application for the general public to enable the capacity for individuals to take pre-cautionary actions, therefore vastly reducing the likelihood of human and economic loss. The project will also consider rescuers relying on professional terminals and legacy communication channels.  Further information on EMWIS website

27- Earth Observation (EO) services can help assess disaster risk, study water resources, forecast manifestations of climate change, monitor the state of agricultural and natural resources, measure city growth, and carry out many other assessments. EO is increasingly used in sustainable development work and has become a valuable tool to help achieve the mission of the World Bank, which can obtain significant benefits from the stream of comprehensive geospatial information for more informed decision-making. EO services can be undertaken at varying spatial scales, from local to global. They  generate information in a non-intrusive, objective, and consistent manner. This goal to mainstream data and knowledge products to the wide community of development practitioners is aligned with the World Bank's “Open Data, Open Knowledge, Open Solutions” policy reforms, aimed at making most of the information assembled or generated directly by the Bank available openly and publicly. Further information on EMWIS website

28- As freshwater is a vital yet often scarce resource, the life cycle assessment community has put great efforts in method development to properly address water use. The International Organization for Standardization has recently even launched a project aiming at creating an international standard for ‘water footprinting’. This paper provides an overview of a broad range of methods developed to enable accounting and impact assessment of water use. The critical review revealed that methodological scopes differ regarding types of water use accounted for, inclusion of local water scarcity, as well as differentiation between watercourses and quality aspects. As the application of the most advanced methods requires high resolution inventory data, the trade-off between ‘precision’ and ‘applicability’ needs to be addressed in future studies and in the new international standard. Further information on EMWIS website

29- The illegal trade and disposal of electronic waste – known as e-waste or WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) – is increasingly becoming a threat to global environmental health and security. To enhance the abilities of countries to combat this growing crime, INTERPOL and its partners have launched the Countering WEEE Illegal Trade (CWIT) project. Coordinated by a consortium of seven partner organizations and funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme, the two-year CWIT project was launched in September 2013 to create a set of recommendations for the European Commission and law enforcement agencies to assist them in countering the illegal trade of e-waste.  Its main goal is to identify the existing policy, regulatory, procedural and technical gaps which criminals exploit in order to illegally transport and dispose of e-waste, and to recommend solutions. The CWIT project will also establish a platform for information exchange among the various actors involved in combating e-waste trade. Further information on EMWIS website

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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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30- Dr. Shaddad Attili officially appointed deputy secretary-general of the Union for the Mediterranean in charge of water & environment: President of the Palestinian National Authority: Mahmoud Abbas has commissioned Dr. Shaddad Attili deputy secretary-general of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in charge of water & environment. He will be replacing Dr. Rafiq al Husseini who was at this position during the last 3 years at the UfM Secretariat in Barcelona. Dr. Shaddad Attili has been the water minister of the Palestinian National Authority during the last 3 years. Further information on EMWIS website.

31- Morocco: New Government and new ministers of environment and water. The new government in Morocco as a result of the resignation of Istiqlal ministers in July, was made public on 10 October. In the new government: Abdelkader Amara was appointed Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment. Charafat Afilal was appointed Minister Delegate to the Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, in charge of water, and Hakima El Hiti was appointed Minister Delegate to the Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, responsible for the environment. Further information on EMWIS website

32- As of September 16, 2013; Mourad Ezzine has taken over as Manager of the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI), on appointment by Inger Andersen, World Bank Vice-President for the MENA region. Mourad, a Tunisian national, has long since been engaged with the CMI: As Sector Manager for Education, the post he held prior to joining the Center. Further information on EMWIS website.

33- Dr. Abdullah Al-Alshaikh named president of IDA: Dr. Abdullah Al-Alshaikh, deputy governor for planning and development of Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) in Saudi Arabia, has been named president of the International Desalination Association (IDA) for the 2013-2015 term. He has been a member of the IDA board of directors since 2009 and has served as chairman of the IDA R&D Committee since that time. Further information on EMWIS website

34- The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has reported on the appointment of the 26 members of the UN Secretary-General's Scientific Advisory Board. The Board will seek to influence and shape action by the international community to advance sustainable development and eradicate poverty.  Further information on EMWIS website

35- Dr. Semia Cherif from the Institut of Applied Biological Sciences in Tunis (ISSBAT), Tunisia, has received the prestigious McKee Groundwater Protection, Restoration or Sustainable Use award from the Water Environment Federation (WEF), an international non-profit technical and educational water quality organization.   Further information on EMWIS website

36- International Climate Protection Fellowships Call for applications: For young climate experts from transition and developing countries interested in conducting a project in Germany.  Up to 20 fellowships will be granted, funded under the Federal Environment Ministry’s International Climate Initiative. The closing date for applications is 15 March 2014. The fellowship will commence on 1 March 2015. Further information on EMWIS website

37- Call for applications for HYDRALAB-IV Young Researchers’ Workshop: The EC-funded HYDRALAB project is organizing a young researcher seminar to take place in Barcelona (7-8 January 2014). The project will pay the travel and accommodation expenses for up to 15 young researchers to attend this event. The submission deadline is set for November 10th. Further information on EMWIS website

38- Communication Assistant at the Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and sustainable Resource management (ACR+): Internship duration: 6 months, Starting date: January 2014, Based in: Brussels. Deadline for applications submission: 20 November 2013. Further information on EMWIS website

39- IFAD is looking for a Senior Programme Manager - Platform for Agricultural Risk Management: Expiration Date: 20 Nov 2013. Further information on EMWIS website

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PUBLICATIONS
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40- A new law proposal on the right to water in France: It was presented by Socialist, communist, green and radical left deputies. It aims at the recognition of the human right to water in French law and the establishment of a preventive support for household water where the water is too expensive. This text is very interesting because it shows how to pass the rather vague international law to more concrete achievements in domestic law. Further information on EMWIS website

41- "Water Resources: An Integrated Approach" provides students with a comprehensive overview of both natural and socio-economic processes associated with water. The book contains chapters written by 20 specialist contributors, providing expert depth of coverage to topics.  Further information on EMWIS website.

42- French Science Committee report on the quality of the water - priority substances, controls and innovation is available now. Further information on EMWIS website

43- International gathering on saving drying lakes in Turkey: Report by Karen Jenderedjian (National Focal Point of Armenia to the Ramsar Convention) and Ayse Sargin (“Saving Burdur Lake Project” Coordinator). Further information on EMWIS website

44- WHO report on scaling-up household water treatment with communicable disease efforts- Just published. Further information on EMWIS website

45- The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is currently finalizing a strategy document entitled "The GEOSS Water Strategy: From Observations to Decision". Further information on EMWIS website

46- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released a report, titled 'Thinking About Water Differently: Managing the Water-Food-Energy Nexus,' which argues for recognition of water as an economic and social good and the urgent assurance of regional water security to eliminate risk to food and energy security in Asia and the Pacific. Further information on EMWIS website

47- New hydrological PhD theses online at www.hydrology.nl, including a few classics: Linkages between streamflow, climate and catchment characteristics: a global analysis; Groundwater salinization processes in the coastal area of the Netherlands due to transgressions during the Holocene; satellite passive microwave surface moisture monitoring; Groundwater flow in layered aquifers & Periodic flow of groundwater. Further information on EMWIS website.

48- Electronic Newsletter of the International Network of Basin Organizations N° 50 - October 2013. Further information on EMWIS website.

49- Water Management: Who's who and who does what in France? The 43rd edition of the Guide to Water Millésimée 2013-2014 is out. Further information on EMWIS website

50- IRC publishes a study on non-collective sanitation: "Building an extensive network of sustainable sanitation: non-collective sanitation services". Further information on EMWIS website

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CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
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51- Call for proposals on "Maritime approach": The MED Programme launches its latest call for the period 2007-2013. It focuses on an integrated maritime approach inspired by the Blue Growth strategy of the European Commission. You can find more detailed information on this limited appeal in the specification content. Operational partnerships are invited to work on a limited number of topics in order to identify the most relevant projects for the next programming period transnational actions. The call has an indicative budget of € 5 million of ERDF and € 250,000 (IPA IPA funds exclusively for Priority 4 specifications). The call will close on January 10, 2014 at 12:00 (noon) GMT +1. Note : The November 19, 2013 a seminar for candidates will take place in Marseille. Further information on EMWIS website

52- Call for Expression of Interest on Recycling and waste recovery (France): As part of the Future Investments (PIA) program, the government encourages the development of a "circular economy" by focusing on three complementary areas: waste management, rehabilitation of polluted sites and soils and eco. This call for expressions of interest (AMI) deals with the management, recycling and recovery of waste. It follows AMI Investments for the Future in 2011, which has supported a dozen projects. AMI closes on January 16, 2015 and has two intermediate deadlines to 10 January 2014 and 6 June 2014. The investigation will be conducted in three successive waves. It is about financing technological innovations and innovative industrial solutions to increase the reuse, recycling and recovery, including energy, waste. Further information on EMWIS website.

53- Water JPI Pilot Call for Translational Collaborative Research Projects: Twelve organizations of eleven countries participating in the WATER JPI have decided to fund transnational projects on the theme “Emerging water contaminants – anthopogenic pollutants and pathogens”. The Joint Programming Initiative “Water Challenges for a Changing World” (the Water JPI) is an intergovernmental initiative aiming at strengthening European leadership and competitiveness in the field of water research and innovation whilst safeguarding water resources. The Water JPI is harmonizing and mobilizing National and Regional Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Programmes. The overarching aim of this Pilot Call of the Water JPI is to identify new ways to efficiently assess, prevent, control and remove emerging pollutants and pathogens and thereby prevent human health risks and secure ecological functions of water ecosystems now and in the future. The call also intends to stimulate mobility of researchers between participating countries, consequently enhancing European collaborative research during the project life and beyond. Proposals submission deadline: 19th December 2013 at 12. 00 (CET) and 13.00 (FI). Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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54- Call for papers for the International Conference ADAPTtoCLIMATE: Τhe Department of Environment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environment of Cyprus, the National Technical University of Athens and the National Observatory of Athens announced that the International Conference ADAPTtoCLIMATE will be held in Nicosia (Filoxenia Conference Centre), Cyprus on 27th and 28th March 2014. The participants will have the opportunity to exchange views and ideas on climate change impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation. The conference will include oral and poster presentation sessions. Authors wishing to submit a paper should send an abstract to the Scientific Secretariat, Dr. K. Moustakas by 30th November 2013. Further information on EMWIS website

55- Call for papers for the 5th World Congress of Environmental and Resource Economists (WCERE): The 5th World Congress of Environmental and Resource Economists (WCERE) will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, from June 28 to July 2, 2014.  Deadline: 1st December 2013. Further information on EMWIS website

56- Call for ideas and projects to be presented at 1st Euro-Med Brokerage Event on Research and Innovation: The EU-funded Mediterranean Science, Policy, Research & Innovation Gateway project (MED-SPRING) is offering young researchers and/or entrepreneurs from the Mediterranean a chance to present their idea to potential investors at the 1st Euro-Mediterranean Brokerage Event on research and innovation that it is organising on 12-13 February 2014 in Cairo, Egypt. The deadline for submission of applications is 30 November 2013. The 1st Euro-Mediterranean Brokerage Event on research and innovation is organised by the Ministry of Scientific Research (Egypt), in collaboration with the Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM-IAMB, Italy) and the Malta Council for Science and Technology in the framework of the Mediterranean Science, Policy, Research & Innovation Gateway (MedSpring) project. Further information on EMWIS website

57- 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.

58- Call for Papers for the 3rd National Meeting of the Research on contaminated land - National Technical Days: Initiated by the French ADEME (Agency of the Environment and the Control of Energy) in 2002, these national meetings have become a must-attend event for all scientists and technical professionals wishing to be informed about the progress and highlights of research in the field of soil pollution due to agricultural industrial activities in urban soils, industrial. Excluded from the scope of this conference the agricultural and radioactive pollutions. From the perspective of the third National Meeting of the Research on contaminated land to be held on 18 and 19 November 2014 in Paris, ADEME launched a call for papers. Closing Date: January 31, 2014. Further information on EMWIS website

59- Call for Contributions for the International Symposium on Innovative Means to Protect Water Resources (SWIM- IMPROWARE): The IMPROWARE International Symposium on Innovative Means to Protect Water Resources entitled “The challenge of reclaimed wastewater reuse for aquifer recharge in the Mediterranean area” will take place in Tunis, from July 28 to August 3, 2014. Deadline for submission is January 30, 2014. Further information on EMWIS website.

60- Call for papers for the 2014 Norwich Conference on Earth System Governance on “Access and Allocation in the Anthropocene”: The 2014 Norwich Conference on Earth System Governance on “Access and Allocation in the Anthropocene”, will be held 1-3 July 2014 at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK. This event will be the fifth in a global conference series organized by the Earth System Governance Project, a ten-year research programme under the auspices of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP). Abstracts and panel proposals must be submitted electronically by 15 November 2013. Further information on EMWIS website

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TRAINING
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61- Environmental Law and Policy Master in Laws @Stanford Law School: Stanford Law School’s new Environmental Law & Policy LLM (Master of Laws) Program: This highly specialized one-year program provides lawyers with a law degree from outside the United States and relevant work experience with the opportunity to study environmental law and policy at Stanford University. At the Law School, the Environmental Law and Policy LLMs will be taught by faculty who are at the forefront of research in environmental and energy law. The curriculum continues to enlarge every year and offers each student the opportunity to choose among a variety of exciting and informative courses relevant to the solution of environmental challenges at the local, national, and global level, such as Environmental Law and Policy, Energy Law, Water Law and Policy, International Environmental Law, or Land Use. The application period for the 2014-2015 academic year is now open. 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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