***  EMWIS Technical Unit wishes you a peaceful and Happy New Year 2019 ! ***

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In this issue N°141 (http://www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash141)
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HEADLINE

1- UfM Water Agenda: policy framework of action 2030 and its financial strategy

In Brief

4- Journalists, scientists and experts meet to discuss environmental challenges in the Mediterranean

5- World Water Council 8th General Assembly: – Board Election Results

6- Western Mediterranean countries adopt roadmap to develop sustainable blue economy in the region

7- 1st Nexus Roundtable in the MENA and wider Mediterranean 26-28 November 2018 Beirut, Lebanon

8- Horizon 2020 Regional Seminar "Addressing Euro-Mediterranean Common Challenges through Research and Innovation Cooperation "

9-  Restitution workshop of CREM project, Tunisia 12 December 2018

10- Sustain-COAST Project a new Research & Innovation action on Coastal aquifers management from PRIMA Call 2018

11- Med Greenhouses 2nd Steering Committee Meeting, Murcia, Spain

12- VISCA concludes its 2nd General Meeting & Stakeholders’ Workshop

13- LIFE-ANADRY: Final Technical Meeting and Monitoring Visit 2019

14-  Next HYDROUSA meeting in Nice-France, 31st January-1st February 2019: Regenerative and nature-based solutions for water

15- December 2018, Tel Aviv, Israel – SWIM-H2020 SM National Meeting

16- Excellence network on “Circular City”: bringing together expertise from 38 COST member countries

17- Palestine signs 10 cooperation agreements with France

18- Algeria: delivery of several drinking water projects planned for 2019

19- Water rates to rise in Israel 4.5%

20- Greece to Face Increased Water Shortages 

21- Spain: 55 million Euro to guarantee the water supply in Murcia

22- Spain plans switch to 100% renewable electricity by 2050

23- Tunisia trains drone pilots to support sustainable agriculture

24- Tunisia: Indian Va Tech Wabag to build Zarat Desalination Plant

25- Tunisia: AfDB and EBRD join forces to finance sanitation programme

26- France: The framework of the water information system is evolving

27- France: 135 million euros invested for water in the 3rd quarter of 2018 in the Rhône-Mediterranean and Corsica basins

28- France: IOWater offers a platform for calculating environmental statistics

29- Egypt's President approves two loans from African Development Bank for water treatment project

NOMINATIONS & VACANCIES

PUBLICATIONS

CALL FOR TENDERS AND PROPOSALS

CALL FOR PAPERS

TRAINING AND COURSES

EVENTS

CONTACT US / COMMENTS

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HEADLINE
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1- On 17 December 2018 Senior representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the 43 member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) endorsed unanimously the UfM Water Agenda in a Senior Officials’ Meeting held in Barcelona. This approval was the final step to a process that had been carried out and followed by the Water Expert Group with the assistance of the Secretariat of the UfM and under its umbrella.  Conscious of the significance of this decision to work together in such a critical sector for the wellbeing and stability of UfM countries, the process to develop such an agenda has been intensive, inclusive and extensive. Consultation, first and foremost with UfM Member states and Co-chairs (Jordan and European Commission), has been constant to ensure that the Agenda responds to their needs and to the added value that a regional dimension can bring to national efforts. In this regard, care has been taken to respond to the overall objectives of the Ministerial declaration (Malta, April 2017), which stated that the UfM Water Agenda should: i) assist in promoting sustainable economic and social development; ii) mainstreams efforts towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals; iii) help to tackle as well two of the major concerns of the region today, on the one hand the impacts of climate change and on the other the challenges of migration. Further information on EMWIS website

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IN BRIEF (Full news)
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2- On 19 November 2018, the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) adopted new conclusions on Water Diplomacy which underline the link between water, security and peace and promote accession to and implementation of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention). Council conclusions are adopted during each meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU. They are used to identify specific issues of concern for the EU foreign policy and outline particular actions to take or goals to reach. Already in 2013, the EU foreign Ministers had underlined that water is a foreign policy issue, given the growing tensions and conflicts over access to water, the deterioration of the world’s water resources and ecosystems and the increased threat of water scarcity. These 2018 conclusions articulate a new approach to water which reflects increasing challenges (such as climate change or growing water insecurity) and the impact on EU water diplomacy of both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Further information on EMWIS website

3- Areas next to rivers hold potential for cost-effective flood protection and improving the health of an entire river ecosystem. According to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing published on 19 November 2018, restoring European floodplains closer to their natural state would contribute to the achievement of several European Union policies. Estimates suggest that 70-90 % of Europe’s floodplain area is ecologically degraded. The EEA briefing ‘Why should we care about floodplains?’ analyses the potential benefits of restoring natural areas next to rivers that are covered by water during floods. According to the analysis, these areas can deliver valuable cultural and ecosystem services, including a cost-effective alternative to structural flood protection. Climate change is expected to increase the number of both floods and droughts in different parts of Europe. During heavy rainfall, floodplains allow more space for the water to spread, preventing high flood waves that travel fast down the river. During dry seasons, floodplains slowly release the water they have stored, mitigating the worst impacts of droughts. Besides flood and drought protection, natural floodplains can prevent erosion, improve soil formation, purify water replenishing groundwater reservoirs and support the conservation of habitats and species, including many birds. However, the vast majority of European floodplain habitats are in either inadequate or bad conservation status, the EEA briefing states. Further information on EMWIS website

4- Around 50 environmental journalists and scientists from 20 countries in the Mediterranean basin, researchers and experts in the field, NGOs, and international institutions met on 13-14 November at the 3rd Meeting of Environmental Journalists of Mediterranean News Agencies, at the UfM headquarters, in Barcelona. The event was promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Five sessions were held with scientists and representatives from different institutions who were dedicated to, among other issues, the energy transition of the Mediterranean region, the circular economy and combatting plastic pollution. The program was completed with two sessions dedicated to presenting initiatives and new tools to the journalistic profession, and the debating and exchanging of experiences between professionals. This initiative seeks to establish a network of communicators of environmental information and facilitate a platform and meeting point, where an exchange of opinions, debates and discussions thrive among the professionals of scientific and environmental journalism. Further information on EMWIS website

5- On 1 December, the World Water Council announced its new Board of Governors, which will oversee and guide the Council’s work for the coming three years. The elections took place during the triennial General Assembly on 30 November and 1 December for which upwards of 250 participants from 35 countries gathered in Marseille, France. The  Euro-mediterranean participation in the assembly  is very important with 18 representative from France, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Hungary, Belgium, Lebanon, Portugal.  Further information on EMWIS website 

6- Ministers of the Western Mediterranean countries, together with the European Commission and the Union for the Mediterranean, adopted  on 4 December in Algeria, a declaration to strengthen regional cooperation on the WestMED initiative. This initiative promotes the maritime economy in the Western Mediterranean, and involves the 10 countries of the 5+5 process (Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia). The signatories agreed on a common roadmap for the development of a sustainable blue economy in the sub-basin to generate growth, create jobs and provide a better living environment for Mediterranean populations, while preserving the services performed by the Mediterranean ecosystem. Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean said: “The Mediterranean Sea has an enormous potential and a wealth of resources that we need to optimise in a sustainable and collaborative manner in order to promote growth, jobs and investments as well as reduce poverty, whilst safeguarding healthy seas. The promotion of the blue economy in the Mediterranean region is a priority for the UfM countries. For this reason, I welcome today’s declaration, which will help us plan and build specific initiatives for a more sustainable and inclusive growth in our region”. Further information on EMWIS website 

7- Gathering more than 70 high level MENA representatives -from national and regional institutions involved in the sectors of water management, energy production, food and agriculture, and environmental protection, as well as financing institutions- the 1st Nexus Roundtable in the MENA and wider Mediterranean solidly contributed to the ongoing UfM dialogue in the Region for the incorporation of Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystems Nexus considerations in national and transboundary water resources management planning, including the link between the Nexus approach and vulnerable groups (women, youth, poor), and the enhancement of related capacities of MENA institutions and stakeholders. The 2nd Nexus Roundtable is planned for the last quarter of 2019, most likely in Tunis, Tunisia. Further information on EMWIS website

8- The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the European Commission (EC), the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Euromed University of Fes (UEMF) jointly organised a regional seminar on Research & Innovation Horizon 2020 programme on 22 January 2019 on the UEMF campus in Fes, Morocco. The seminar aims at reinforcing the cooperation in research and innovation (R&I) across the Mediterranean, and specially at enhancing the joint participation of stakeholders from both Northern and Southern countries in the last calls for proposals of the Horizon 2020 programme of the EU. Horizon 2020 EU work programmes specifically target the Southern rim of the Mediterranean as a partner for cooperation. In this context, the seminar is addressed to representatives from academia, research institutes, industrial stakeholders, SMEs, NGOs and policy-makers from the 43 UfM countries. Further information on EMWIS website

9-  The restitution workshop of the regional cooperation in the water sector for Maghreb countries (CREM) project, held on 12/12/18, aimed at reviewing results of 1st phase (Jan. 2014 - Dec. 2018) and preparing the 2nd phase for consolidating these results (January 2019-June 2020). CREM is supported by the German cooperation (GIZ and BGR). The project targeted Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The main achievements are national synthesis on the water sector, information systems as well as good practices, methodologies and tools to put in place to improve groundwater knowledge. Both modules were accompanied by a dynamic exchange of experiences between countries, a broad program of capacity building as well as a specific cultural action of Maghreb storytellers on water preservation. Further information on EMWIS website 

10-  The results of first PRIMA call section 2: Multi Topics 2018 was published on 21 December 2018. 27 projects were selected for funding among 396 proposals submitted in stage 1 (concept notes) and 103 submitted in stage 2 (full proposals).  The research proposal “Sustain-COAST” has been selected by the Scientific Evaluation Committee and will be funded by the national funding bodies. Sustain- Coast ‘Sustainable coastal groundwater management and pollution reduction through innovative governance in a changing climate’ was submitted under the Thematic area 1: Sustainable water management for arid and semi-arid Mediterranean area /Topic 1.1.2: Sustainable, Integrated Water Management by a multidisciplinary team of seven partners from six countries (TUC (Greece), UFZ (Germany), UNISTRA and SEMIDE (France), CERTE (Tunisia), UNISS (Italy) and MEU (Turkey)).  Sustain-COAST will explore new governance approaches to effectively support the coastal aquifer conservation against anthropogenic and climatic pressures, through the promotion of innovative water management concepts based on the 4R principles: Reduce; Recycle; Reuse and Recover. Further information on EMWIS website

11- The 2nd Steering Committee Meeting of the MED Greenhouses project was organized on the 20th and 21st of November 2018 at the premises of CEBAS-CSIC in Murcia (Spain). TEI of Thessaly presented Monitoring Deliverables. Activities planned for 2019 were discussed, in particular webinars. During the meeting  partners made a summary of the consultations with local stakeholders they have carried out so far, in which, topics such as financing and political commitment to promote innovation in greenhouses were covered. The next steering Committee meeting of the project  will be held on 6-7 May 2019 in Sophia-antipolis, South of France. Further information on Med Greenhouses website

12- The 2nd Stakeholders Workshop of the VISCA project was held on 12th December 2018 in the premises of Mastroberardino and the Department of Agriculture –Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 2 partners of the project. VISCA is a EU innovation action developing climate services to make the wine industry resilient to climate change. The workshop was organised back-to-back to the project 2nd General meeting (10th-11th December) where achievements after 18 months were presented and discussed. The mock-up of VISCA responsive web platform was welcome by Advisory Board members and external guests participating in the workshop. They commented on the status-quo of climate services in the agriculture sector and the replicability opportunities on olives and cereals while gathering some feedback about VISCA tools. Further information on VISCA website

13- Organised by the project coordinator Depuración Aguas del Mediterraneo S.L. (DAM), Life-ANADRY project consortium held their last technical meeting on 22nd January 2019 in Murcia. During the meeting the Project Officer and all partners discussed the technical aspects of the project and the main results of the project and the planning for the final meeting which will take place in Murcia next month. The meeting included also a visit to the LIFE-ANADRY prototype in Alguazas, Murcia. LIFE-ANADRY partners are collaborating to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of the correct environmental management of sludge in medium to small sized wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in order to transfer the outcomes obtained to other areas with similar problems, at national and international levels. During the development of the project, several technical actions have been conducted: design and construction of the prototype, start-up of the prototype and the study under thermophilic conditions. Now, the project is finalising the implementation of prototype under mesophilic conditions and conducting technical and economic feasibility studies and transferability actions to other WWTPs. Further information on Life-ANADRY website

14- The European project HYDROUSA – which aims to provide innovative circular economy solutions for Mediterranean islands in terms of water/wastewater treatment and management through closing water loops and boosting agricultural and energy profiles - will hold its 2nd General Meeting on 31st January- 1st February 2019 in Nice at the Centre Universitaire Méditerranéen (C.U.M). The meeting will bring together the project consortium, composed of 27 partners, together with direct stakeholders coming from French and other European Islands to discuss the implementation progress and replicability in other areas. An open session with stakeholders will be organised on the afternoon of 1st February where expectations from the members sustainable Islands network SMILO will reviewed (Elba, Porquerolles and Zlarin Islands). Potential applications for inland "islands" (i.e. area suffering poor connection to water or sanitation networks) for will also be introduced. Further information on HYDROUSA website

15- On 18 December,  the EU-funded SWIM-H2020 Support Mechanism organized a National Meeting in Israel focusing on sustainable water resources and a clean environment in the Mediterranean. SWIM-H2020 SM (2016-2019) is a key regional Process aimed at contributing to the reduction of marine pollution and the sustainable use of scarce water resources in the Mediterranean region, particularly in the Middle East and North African countries. The objective of the National Meeting in Israel was to present what has been achieved so far and what still needs to be completed until April 2019, when the present phase of the Project will end. The meeting was attended by the European Union Delegation to the state of Israel, the representatives of the Government Authority for Water & Sewage and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, national agencies and international organizations active in Israel, and stakeholders from all sectors including academics, environmental NGOs and the media. Further information on EMWIS website

16- The aim of the COST Action “Implementing nature based solutions for creating a resourceful circular city” (CA17133) is to build an interdisciplinary platform for connecting city planners, architects, system designers, circular economists, engineers and researchers from social and natural sciences that develop systems allowing cities to cope with the challenges described above. In this COST Action, the definition for a common language and understanding across disciplines are seen as crucial success factor, while Circular Economy concepts are seen as key approach and Natural Based Solutions (NBS) or Green Infrastructures (GI) solutions are seen as core elements of the toolbox. This Cost Action is to encourage collaboration and research to test the hypothesis that “A circular flow system that implements NBS for managing nutrients and resources within the urban biosphere will lead to a resilient, sustainable and healthy urban environment”. The planned Action will test this hypothesis in five domains: the built environment, the urban water, the resource recovery, the urban farming, and the society. Most partners will meet in Vienna on 13-15 February for various workshops covering these domains to improve research coordination and develop capacity building. Further information on circular-city website

17- Foreign Palestine Minister Riyad Malki, signed in Paris on Friday 07 December with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, 10 cooperation agreements related to education, budget, local governance, civil defense, environment, water, agriculture and developing the private sector with a total budget of 80 MEuros, including 40 from the French Agency for Development (AFD) for projects such as the waste water treatment in Gaza strip planned to start in 2019. Further information on EMWIS website

18- In several wilayas of Algeria, the authorities have launched drinking water supply projects, the delivery of those projects is scheduled for 2019. In the El-Tarf wilaya in the north-west of the country, the construction of a drinking-water plant with a capacity of 8 640 m3 per day has recently started. The treated water will be pumped from the dam of Chefia, with a pipeline of several kilometers. The dam, which is 300 m high allows to reunite the waters of several streams of the wilaya of El-Tarf. On site, the infrastructure will help decreasing dwater shortages, which is a problem in many areas. Currently, water is available every other day for only three hours. Today, water comes from four existing boreholes in the wilaya and the water supply infrastructures are reinforced by a transfer from a neighbouring wilaya. Further information on EMWIS website

19- Water prices in Israel has jumped by 4.5% on January 1, 2019, sources inform "Globes." The increase is greater than the 3.25% increase foreseen by the Israel Water Authority's previous announcement in 2018. Despite the sharp fall in oil prices in recent weeks, this is the latest in a long list of price rises announced in the past few days, as the cost of living in Israel jumps. Further information on EMWIS website

20-Greece is among the countries predicted to face increased water shortages before the end of the century, according to a study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center (JRC). Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Turkey will be facing similar problems as researchers foresee significant reductions in groundwater replenishment. An annual loss of 810 million cubic meters of water has been estimated, translated to reduced availability of water for irrigation of agricultural crops and hence reduced the availability of food. The future impact of climate change will bring changes in land use and water consumption habits.  The consequences are mainly attributed to climate change (80 to 90 percent) and secondly to other factors, such as land and water use (10 to 20 percent). The growing drought in the European South will lead to an increased shortage of water and reduced water supplies for hydroelectric plants in Mediterranean countries. This will mean, in addition to agriculture and food, that the energy and transport sectors will be negatively affected as well. For Greece – in the case of an increase in temperature by two degrees – an annual reduction of 2 percent is expected in the water supply of hydroelectric plants, while for northern Europe an increase of about 13 percent is expected. However, if the temperature increases by more than 2 degrees, by the end of the century the reduction in hydroelectric plants could reach 10 percent. Further information on EMWIS website

21- Murcia's regional government will strengthen its investment in water in 2019 with 55 million Euro in order to guarantee water resources to irrigators and agricultural producers. These will go to modernization projects and infrastructure to help in water management, so that the Region can remain a world leader in the efficient use of water. This has been outlined at the Regional Assembly by the Councilor of Water, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Miguel Angel del Amor, during the presentation of his department's projects for 2019, whose total budget amounts to more than 170 million Euro. "The goal is to support producers in the Region and improve their profitability." He explained that Murcia is the region with the most technified and efficient irrigation in Europe, "with cutting-edge and world class agriculture. In fact, 98 percent of water is reused, compared to 5 percent internationally and 15 percent in Spain as a whole". Further information on EMWIS website

22- Spain has launched an ambitious plan to switch its electricity system entirely to renewable sources by 2050 and completely decarbonise its economy soon after. By mid-century greenhouse gas emissions would be slashed by 90% from 1990 levels under Spain’s draft climate change and energy transition law. To do this, the country’s social democratic government is committing to installing at least 3,000MW of wind and solar power capacity every year in the next 10 years ahead. Further information on EMWIS website

23- Tunisia has completed the training of its first group of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) pilots, whose skills will be used to boost agricultural productivity in the country. Eight pilots participated in a two-week session to learn how to fly and maintain the drones, as well as understanding necessary security measures. They are the first of 40 candidates to complete the training offered by the country’s agricultural ministry. The African Union is promoting the use of more drones, but only 26 percent of the continent’s countries have drone regulations. A few countries, including Morocco and Mozambique, are using them to support smallholder farms, but in most cases they are used for wildlife management rather than agriculture. The drones can be used to improve the monitoring of irrigated crops and land, improving management of water resources while broadening knowledge of water tables as well as the effects of climate change in the pilot site. Tunisia hopes that the drone program will create 400 jobs by 2021. Further information on EMWIS website

24- The tender for the construction of the Zarat seawater desalination plant (Tunisia, Gabes governorate) has been won by Va Tech Wabag, Indian company specializing in water treatment. They will provide engineering services, construction and supply of this future station. This desalination project is intended to tackle drinking water shortages in the Gabes region, and especially to limit the overexploitation of the water table.  The desalination plant will be able of producing 50,000 m3 of drinking water per day. The plant will be accompanied by a water pumping station to deliver water to three tanks with a capacity of 15,000 m3 each. Further information on EMWIS website

25- The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have agreed to finance the sanitation programme for small municipalities with less than 10,000 inhabitants in Tunisia. The two financial institutions will inject a total of €150 million into the programme, which will cover 19 of the 24 governorates in North Africa. It is no news since the two banks have already announced separately in October 2018, their intention to support the Tunisian government on this project. Their joint commitment was the subject of an agreement signed on January 8, 2019 in Tunis, the capital, with the Tunisian Ministry of Development, Investment and International Cooperation (MDICI) and the National Sanitation Office (Onas). The latter will be responsible for the implementation of the programme in the field. Further information on EMWIS website

26- In France, governance mechanism and rules for producing water data are defined by the National Water Data framework (Schéma National des Données sur l'Eau -SNDE). This document has been updated by an order, at the end of November by a decree published in the Official Journal and replacing the previous version dated of January 2010. Mastering the production of information on water in France, the SNDE has been adjusted. This framework defines the system for managing all water data in the public domain. SNDE is the basis for the French water information system and its Eaufrance information service. It organizes the governance, describes its technical reference data sets and the terms of their approval. Data on water comes from a wide spectrum of stakeholders: sanitary control of drinking and bathing waters, planning, subsidies and tax agencies, water boards, the regulation of water uses, controls water and nature, the protection and preservation of the marine environment, the regulation of classified facilities for the protection of the environment, flood forecasting, flood risk assessment and management as well as than public water and sanitation services. Further information on EMWIS website

27- During  the 3rd quarter of 2018, the French Rhone Mediterranean Corsica water Agency awarded 135 million euros to support 2 219 projects. 51% of the funds were allocated to sanitation and drinking water improvement operations carried out by the local authorities, 20 % for the restoration of aquatic environments,  11 % contributed to a better quantitative management of the resource, 9 % went to actions fighting against agricultural pollution and 6% to the reduction of industrial discharges.  Further information on EMWIS website

28- To facilitate the processing and analysis of environmental data, the International Office for Water (IOWater) worked on a platform, freely accessible, dedicated to the basic calculations of environmental statistics: ASTA-ENV. Using the wide range of open data available in France, this online platform allows to select a geographical area (region, river basin, water body) and visualize time series as tables or graphs, run statistics tests and export data. Further information on EMWIS website

29- Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a decree approving a loan agreement worth $100 million between Egypt and the African Development Bank (AfDB), earmarked to finance a wastewater treatment plant at Abu Rawash, Giza. The president also issued a decree endorsing a second agreement on a $50 million loan related to the Abu Rawash plant project, offered by AfDB on behalf of the Africa Growing Together Fund. The project's scope involves engineering, procurement, and construction works for the wastewater treatment plant located eight kilometres north of Giza. The project includes upgrading and extending the capacity of the existing plant from primary treatment of 1.2 million cubic metres per day (m3/day) to secondary treatment of 1.6 million m3/day.The plant currently receives around 80 percent of Giza's wastewater (Giza's current population is estimated at 5.3 million), treats this raw wastewater and then disposes it into the Barakat drain, eventually finding its way to the Rashid branch of the River Nile. Further information on EMWIS website

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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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30- Vacancy: Programme Management Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) -leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The post is located in Geneva, Switzerland. Under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Resources and Markets Branch and reporting directly to the Head of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE). Deadline for submission 1st of February 2019. Further information on EMWIS website

31- Vacancy: Technical Specialist / Water and Irrigation Lead at Abt Associates (Egypt). Under the supervision of the Agronomist, the Water & Irrigation Lead will ensure best water management and irrigation practices are incorporated into EVAS project strategies. Further information on EMWIS website

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PUBLICATIONS
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32- Water-Energy-Food Nexus Literature Review: This literature review provides an overview of key Nexus concepts and tools that can be applied in policy and practice. It aims to be a resource for professionals responsible for Nexus relevant decisions either in planning, financing or implementation. It aims to provide an overview of the literature covering the WEF Nexus topic, with a discussion on how the approach can be effectively implemented on the ground. The review also aims to summarise ongoing WEF Nexus initiatives and regional applications of the WEF Nexus in Southern Africa, the MENA Region, Central Asia, Latin America and the Niger Basin. Further information on EMWIS Website 

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CALL FOR TENDERS AND PROPOSALS
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33- The European Commission has published the 2019 calls for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) for the societal challenge 5 "Climate action, environment, energy efficiency, and raw materials". This call contributes to the virtual focus area "Low Carbon" (LC). The two-stage 2019 calls were opened in  November 14, 2018. The closing of the first stage is scheduled for 19 February 2019 (17.00 Brussels time). The closing of the second stage, for projects accepted after the first stage, is scheduled for 4 September 2019 (17.00 Brussels time). Among the opened topics:

- LC-CLA-02-2019: Negative emissions and land-use based: mitigation assesment
- LC-CLA-05-2019: Human dynamics of climate change
- LC-CLA-06-2019: Inter-relations between climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem services 

Further information on EMWIS website

34- After the  approval of the Annual Work Plan for 2019, PRIMA "The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area" announced that 2019 Calls are NOW open. The aim is to build research and innovation capacities and to develop knowledge and common innovative solutions for agro-food systems, to make them sustainable, and for integrated water provision and management in the Mediterranean area. The calls have a budget of approximately 63 million euro for 12 topics. The Calls for proposals are divided into 2 sections: Section 1 Calls will be funded by PRIMA whilst Section 2 Calls will be funded by the National Funding Bodies. Deadlines  for submission are February 28th and Februray 21th for section 1 & and 2 recpectively. Further information on EMWIS website

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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35- 7th International Conference "AGRICULTURE & FOOD" 25-29 June 2019 Burgas, Bulgaria. 31 January 2019 Registration form and abstract submission deadline / 28 February 2019 deadline for  transferring the participation fee/ 31 March 2019   Final paper submission deadline. Further information on EMWIS website

36- 7th international conference on Environmental Management, Engineering, Planning and Economics in Mykonos island, Greece, from May 19 to 24, 2019. Authors are requested to submit abstracts, by e-mail to the Symposium Secretariat, by February 10, 2019. Further information on EMWIS website

37- ADEME (the French Environment and Energy Management Agency), with support from its Mediterranean partners (the Union for the Mediterranean, Plan Bleu and the Agency for sustainable Mediterranean cities and territories), is launching the second “Mediterranean Climate Change Adaptation Awards”, to reward the most outstanding exemplary adaptation actions. This competition is aimed at local authorities, national agencies, public universities and NGOs, companies or members of the private sector, in partnership with a local public stakeholder who have implemented an adaptation action. The following countries are allowed to take part: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia. The completed application files must be sent by March 20, 2019 at the latest. Further information on EMWIS website

38- EU Green Week is Europe's biggest annual conference on environment policy, bringing together participants from government, industry, non-governmental organisations, academia and the media, among others, for a unique exchange of ideas and best practices. EU Green Week 2019 will take place from 13-17 May with the theme, ‘Take the initiative! Applying environmental legislation’. Are you or your network members organising an event between 13 April and 9 June ? Is it relevant to the EU Green Week 2019 theme? If so, then consider registering it as an EU Green Week partner event. Deadline for application 15 March. Further information on EMWIS website

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TRAINING
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[11/02/2019 - 15/02/2019] Advanced course on "Livestock and climate change: Assessment of emissions, mitigation options and adaptation strategies" at the IAMZ-CIHEAM in Zaragoza (Spain). Further information on  EMWIS website

[25/03/2019 - 26/03/2019] A two-day intensive course on solar driven desalination and water purification Gathering the water and renewable energy communities, Algiers, Algeria.  Further information on   EMWIS website

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Events
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