EMWIS Flash 162 May - June 2022

2- A Mediterranean session will be organised at the Stockholm World Water Week, on 31 August 2022.  The  session will bring together experts in the field of freshwater conservation to discuss the importance and ways of protecting and restoring Mediterranean freshwater ecosystems: rivers, lakes, marshes, peatlands and groundwater. The session will feature the Donors’ Initiative for Mediterranean Freshwater Ecosystems (DIMFE). Created in 2021 by the MAVA Foundation, the Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, DIMFE supports projects related to: Conservation and restoration of freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity- Sustainable use and management of water resources- Sustainable financing mechanisms for freshwater ecosystem conservation and water management. Speakers will address existing solutions that can be brought through:Field projects (featuring examples from concrete projects in Greece, Malta and Morocco); Networking and international collaboration: Mediterranean Water Institute (IME); and Financing (ex: Sebou water Fund, DIMFE). The discussion will be moderated by a senior journalist to promote a dynamic conversation.  Further information on EMWIS website

3- The kick-off meeting for the Network of Drought Observatories in the EU provided an overview of the state-of-the-art of Drought Observatories in the EU, both from a scientific/technical and from an operational point of view (Thu 16 June). Short and medium-term challenges, and needs for development have been discussed, laying out the scope and roadmap for the network (Fri 17 June). This yearly event offers an opportunity to engage and connect with drought experts across the EU, as well as to participate to the information gathering effort within the EDORA project. The EDORA project aims at strengthening the European Drought Observatory (EDO), hosted by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), by enhancing drought risk assessment at different scales, aggregating data on impacts in different sectors, and fostering connections and establishment of drought observatories in the Member States. These actions will ultimately enhance the resilience and adaptation to drought across the EU, by offering a common core of operational data and knowledge about droughts. Further information on EMWIS website

4- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched the 2022–2030 Climate Strategy in order “to tackle the existential threat of climate change over this decade in a way that is truly transformational” according to the agency’s administrator, Samantha Power. This new Climate Strategy sets six ambitious targets that combine USAID’s increased efforts to halt the climate crisis. USAID has committed to mobilize US$150 billion in public and private finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions in at least 80 countries by 2024. It will also support at least 40 partner countries to attain “systemic changes that increase meaningful participation and active leadership in climate action of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth, and other marginalized and/or underrepresented groups”. Further information on EMWIS website 

5- The UfM Blue Finance Conference took place on the 22nd of June, 2022, at World Trade Center in Barcelona. The goal of the Conference was to encourage investments in- and funding of- Sustainable Blue Economy projects and initiatives in the Mediterranean region, especially in the Southern countries. We brought together financial institutions, banks (multilateral and national), private investors and UfM country and industry representatives to exchange information on funding, discuss criteria and viability of projects/initiatives and the enablers and conditions, which may help attract investments. The Conference was structured around two main sessions on access to finance, including opportunities and modalities for investments in blue economy sectors (EU funding, national and local funding and Private investments) as well as enabling conditions and examples/best practices currently in place and matchmaking sessions between the countries and the Banks/Financial institutions, booked and planned so that the participants could present concrete project proposals and discuss/receive in situ feedback as well as plan ahead their viability. Further information on EMWIS website 

6- The Ministerial Conference on research and innovation (R&I) of the Union for the Mediterranean was held to promote international cooperation on science and knowledge in the region. Under the co-presidency of the European Union, Commissioner Mariya Gabriel and Jordan, Minister Haifaa Najjar and in the presence of Nasser Kamel, UfM Secretary General, the conference was hosted by Sylvie Retailleau, Minister for Higher Education and Research of France, on behalf of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union.  The conference is the first research and innovation Ministerial meeting under the umbrella of the UfM. Looking ahead to the ongoing and future challenges of the region, ministers adopted a ministerial declaration that paves the way for further strengthening scientific cooperation, fostering linkages on research, innovation and skills as well as supporting capacity building, coordination and joint actions, including on sustainable development and employability.  Ministers acknowledged three new research and innovation (R&I) roadmaps on climate change, renewable energies, and health. They will act as a catalyst for future cooperation. Swift action is needed and an Implementation Plan, elaborated by the UfM Regional Platform on Research and Innovation, will transform the jointly agreed priorities into specific actions, reviewing its progress while fostering synergies with existing instruments. Ensuring that the agreed roadmaps are implemented is crucial for the desired outcomes in the region, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. The roadmaps aim to engage actors at large in the region (NGOs, scientific institutions, researchers, networks of Universities and citizens, the private sector and decision makers), as well as international organizations, financial institutions and donors. Further information on EMWIS website

7- The Mediterranean Water Institute (IME) will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year in the City of Valencia and will organise a regional symposium entitled "Our Mediterranean: water challenges and regional priorities for 2050" in cooperation with the Confederación Hidrográfica del Jucar (CHJ) and the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfMs), with the partnership of MENBO. This regional symposium will be held face-to-face only on 19 and 20 September 2022 at the Exhibition Palace of Valencia in Spain. Taking the opportuunity of the symposium, the UfM Co-Presidencies and the UfM Secretariat organise a side-event of the WASH & WCCA Task Forces on 19 September (10h45-13h15).  Further information on EMWIS website

8- In the framework of the SFS-MED platform, a on webinar  Water-energy-food-ecosystems (WEFE) nexus was organised on 6 July 2022. The event aimed to bring together stakeholders from across the Mediterranean to share practical experiences on their engagement in adopting WEFE Nexus solutions and demonstrate the more comprehensive socio-economic benefits of their proposed practices on the food system at large, going beyond a fragmented system of sectors and players. Stakeholders  shared case studies and tangible examples of WEFE Nexus technical solutions applied in the Mediterranean region, with emphasis on the MENA, reflect on success factors and challenges, and discuss ways to facilitate replication and upscaling solutions across the Mediterranean, and influence policy change. Particular focus was  given to the participation of stakeholders involved in WEFE Nexus demonstration sites. Further information on EMWIS website

9- The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre today published the “Drought in Europe - July 2022” report, an assessment of Europe’s drought situation based on the European Drought Observatory. The analysis of the evolution and impact of the prolonged drought in the EU shows that a staggering portion of Europe is currently exposed to warning (44% of EU+UK) and alert (9% of EU+UK) drought levels, associated with soil moisture deficit in combination with vegetation stress. Further information on EMWIS website

10- On June 3rd 2022, EdiCitNet partner UT SEMIDE, together with the city of Nice, organised a workshop for the city’s garden managers. The workshop aimed to present the EdiCitNet project and all of the services, tools and platforms that it offers.  The workshop brought together the Deputy Mayor in charge of urban agriculture and neighbourhood activities, representatives from the city of Nice, and 5 associations in charge of the management of community gardens. The associations expressed their interest in using the EdiCitNet Toolbox to be able to compare the positive social and ecological impacts of their Edible City Solutions and to become members of the international network created by the project. The workshop ended with a visit to one of the community gardens in the city.  The next step is to visit all the community gardens in Nice to collect the data needed for the EdiCitNet Toolbox and to present findings during a fair early September in Nice. Further information on EdiCitNet website

11- The Desertification Research Center of the University of Sassari (NRD-UNISS) organised on 27-30 June a Summer  School on Environmental Conflict Mediation, within the framework of “Innovative Governance” activities of the Sustain-COAST (PRIMA) project. This Acqúa School aimed to: explore and promote environmental mediation conflict technique,  inform participants about the effectiveness and validity of mediation in environmental disputes,  train participants on the specificity of the environmental conflict and on the particular modalities that distinguish this type of conciliation path from those usually used in the civil and commercial field. Acqúa School focused on water-related conflicts, with case studies from the Mediterranean Region. As part of the summer school a  Rasgioni ( practice of peaceful dispute resolution), was organised  in Arborea on June 27.  The rasgioni  focued on the conflict between climate change and sustainable development, and hence not between “parties”, in one of the most important agro-industrial realities in the Mediterranean basin. Inspired by a survey conducted among the most important national and international projects on sustainable development and adaptation to climate change. The video of the Rasgioni is available here.  After the summer brack Sustain-COAST project is organising its final conference in collaboration with MEDSAL PRIMA project in Chania- Greece. Online Registration Form for onsite and virtual attendance is available  here.

12- With the expansion of mega forest fires around the world, tools to support emergency management of wild-fires are urgently needed, SAFERS is one these promising toolbox. The project held its Mid-term Review on the 31st of May 2022 in the presence of the Project Officer and external reviewers in Thessaloniki, Greece. The consortium illustrated the progress and the achieved milestones of the project including the current status of developing SAFERS open & integrated platform and the intelligent services which will be released (Alpha version) soon. Furthermore, discussions on the pilot sites in Greece (Thessaloniki), France (Corsica), Spain (Catalonia) and Italy (Susa Valley) took place in parallel to exploitation talks. The SAFERS platform, which will act as a Decision Support System, aims at acting along the all the phases of emergency management of forest fires: Prevention and preparedness, detection and response as well as restoration and adaptation. It is using different sources including earth observations from Copernicus and GEOSS, fire sensors in forests and topographic data, weather forecasts in addition to crowdsourced data from social media and other apps. You may read SAFERS Newsletter #3 which summarises the latest updates of the project. Further information can also be found on SAFERS website.

13- HYDROUSA Summer School was organised between the 18th-21st June 2022 followed by an Art Residency and Open Day at Tinos Ecolodge, Greece. These activities involved visiting HYDROUSA demonstration sites (HYDRO5-solar desalination for tropical greenhouse- and HYDRO6-water circularity for agro-eco touristic facility) as well as interactive workshops and informative sessions. The aim of these activities was to engage the communities around HYDROUSA solutions as well as to raise their awareness about sustainable water management, nature-based solutions practices and the principles of circular economy. People from multiple backgrounds joined these activities and had the opportunity to exchange their ideas and insights with HYDROUSA partners. UT SEMIDE organised a workshop on HYDROUSA’s Regenerative Business Models ‘Adding value to each water drop’ where participants practiced codesigning their own eco-facility using the knowledge acquired from the summer school. In addition, HYDROUSA is organising its final conference in Athens on 7-9 June 2023: Water Innovation and Circularity Conference -WICC, focusing on waste/wastewater management innovations within the circular economy approach  Further information on HYDROUSA project is available on the project website.

14-  On 29 June a coordination meeting was held with the participation of the 10 partners of the SUPROMED project.  Partners discussed the prepared activities and reports and established a plan for the next period. From 30 to 1 July SUPROMED partners participated in Agroecoinfo symposium 2022 organized by the SUPROMED partner university of Thessaly. One special session was dedicated to SUPROMED results during the symposium. On the 2nd of  July, a training session addressed to Greek farmers and technicians on methodologies and tools used in SUPROMED and HubIS projects was organized. This training session was held in English and Greek languages by the corresponding scientists, who have developed these methodologies and tools (MOPECO, FabLabs, Irrigation models etc.). After the summer brack SUPROMED project in collaboration with 2 other PRIMA projects MEWATERICE and PRECIMED is organising an intrenational conference on  "SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION IN WATER-SCARCE AGROECOSYSTEMS (SUPWAS)" in Albacete- Spain. Online Registration Form for onsite and virtual attendance is available  here.  Further information on the project can be found on SUPROMED website