EMWIS Flash December 2022- January 2023

2- Nowadays, new requirements on the quality of and access to drinking water are becoming the norm across the European Union, with the revised Drinking Water Directive now transposed into national legislation. The new rules will ensure one of the highest standards in the world for drinking water, in line with the zero pollution ambition announced in the European Green Deal. This also responds to the first-ever successful European Citizens' Initiative, "Right2Water", which gathered 1.6 million signatures in support of improving access to safe drinking water for all Europeans. Further information on EMWIS website

3- The Plan of Action for a Model Mediterranean Sea by 2030 (PAMEx) held its first Steering Committee meeting on 24-25 January 2023 in Athens, Greece with the participation of UfM Deputy Secretary General in charge of Water, Environment and Blue Economy, Almotaz Abadi and UfM Senior Expert, Marie-Claire Boillot. In the meeting, partners followed up on the implementation of the 20 concrete actions that PAMEx encompasses, including governance matters and the functioning of the Local Investment Finance Facility (PLIFF) —the innovative financial mechanism created to underpin the implementation of PAMEx—. The Steering Committee meeting also reviewed the ongoing project. According to the “State of the Environment and Development in Mediterranean (SoED)” report (2020, Plan Bleu), the Mediterranean region has one of the highest rates of biodiversity loss in the world: 40% of its marine species are deemed to be in decline. On September 2021, 8 Mediterranean governments and 5 international organizations launched the PAMEx with the aim to reverse the dramatic loss of marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea through concrete and collective actions. This Action Plan encompasses 19 concrete actions that aim at collectively preserve 30% of the Mediterranean Sea, end over fishing, limit plastic pollution and develop sustainable maritime transport by 2030. The PAMEX Local Invest Finance Facility (PLIFF) is a public – private independent finance facility, which builds on the role of the Union for the Mediterranean as a regional platform to coordinate and promote initiatives and concrete projects, the EU SEACAPs (Sustainable Energy and Adaptation Climate Action Plans) and the programmatic framework of the PAMEx 2030.  PLIFF is proposed to be structured as a Collective Investing and Financing Facility (CIFF). The 4 PAMEx components are: 1. Marine and Coastal Biodiversity: MedPan, MedFund, SAPBIO and PLIFF natural landscape restoration (Egypt); 2. Sustainable Fisheries: GFCM and its 2030 Strategy; 3. Maritime transport: PLIFF Greening Mediterranean Ports and GHG Med; 4. Pollution: Marine Litter MED II and the Regional Plan for Marine Litter. Moreover, the steering committee identified the PLIFF Action Plan and expected deliverables in 2023 with a focus on the Mediterranean hotspots based on landscape, climate change and biodiversity indicators (Earth Posaidon). Further information on EMWIS website

4- The UfM organised a session Design Thinking (DT): Developing Strategic and Innovative Project Ideas in collaboration with AECID (the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development) on 21 February in the framework of the Arab Water Convention “Non-Conventional Water Resources: Business Opportunities”, which took place on 20 and 21 February 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Non-conventional Water Resources –NCWR convention will be organised by the Arab Water Council under the patronage of the League of Arab States. The convention will be held under the theme “Business Opportunities”. It is intended to timely bring all interested parties together to embark on implementing the COP 27 outcome. Governments, financial institutions, private sector and civil society need to immediately engage in a serious dialogue to address and take decisions regarding the adaptation priorities in the water sector through NCWR projects to achieve sustainable development, support green economy, reduce poverty and improve livelihood of all Arab people. The event will be an occasion to address critical topics, including in-depth projection by governments, financing opportunities, private sector innovations to support green investments, and a VIP exhibition featuring world renowned solution providers, as well as live demonstrations and showcases. Further information on EMWIS website

5- This 2023 Europe-INBO International Conference will be held at the invitation of our host, the Hydrographic Confederation of the Júcar river basin (CHJ), and in partnership with the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain (MITECO), the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) and Europe-INBO’s twin network: the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO) from 16 to 19th of October 2023.  It will gather representatives of EU Member States, national and regional water directorates and administrations, hydrographic district authorities and basin organizations and more broadly stakeholders involved in basin management and in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), its "Daughter Directives" and other related policies, directives and regulations. A specificity of this very particular edition: since the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO) will also be celebrating its 20th anniversary and the statutary sessions of its General Assembly, basin management actors from both shores of the Mediterranean Sea will also be invited to take part in the exchanges between practitioners of the management of the water resources of lakes, rivers and aquifers. Further information on RIOB website

6- The second round of the Global Survey on Localising the Blue Economy is online and open until 31 March.  The Survey is part of the project Cities and Regions for a Blue Economy of the OECD Water Governance Initiative, which advocates for a localised approach to the blue economy in which local and national governments and stakeholders share the task of implementing a Resilient, Inclusive, Sustainable and Circular (RISC-proof) blue economy, through good governance at the right scale. It involves both coastal and inland cities in which a significant share of economic activity depends on oceans, seas, deltas, rivers and lakes.
 The objectives of the Survey are:
•    To build knowledge on the scope and the state of play of the blue economy in cities and regions, including the main drivers, challenges, threats and impacts of the blue economy at local level, and formal blue economy initiatives across levels of government.
•    To identify the governance landscape of the resilient, inclusive, sustainable and circular (RISC-proof) blue economy across levels of government.
•    To inventory future priorities for the RISC-proof approach to the blue economy in cities and regions. 
 Responses will provide the basis for a cutting edge report on the Blue Economy at local, regional and basin level to be published in 2024 and launched at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia (May 2024). Survey responses will contribute to a series of discussion papers to be presented at the UN 2023 Water Conference (March 2023). Link to the survey

7- NEXUSNET is a COST Action bringing together international researchers collaborating with universities, research institutions, policymakers and the business sector to better understand how the water-energy-food Nexus fosters policy coherence and biophysical interactions in the domains of water, energy and food, supporting the transition towards a circular and low-carbon economy in Europe.  NEXUSNET will deliver examples of nexus compliant policies, decision making, and recommendations to best achieve them, to come-up with an overview of Good Nexus Practices in Europe (policy coherence, Nexus-compliant practices and more coherent nexus evaluations). The action will organise its 4th Management Committee meeting, a mentoring program, and a regional forum, in Split, Croatia, 27-29 September 2023. Further information on NexusNet website

8- On 12 & 13 December 2022, CRONUS project kick off was held in Athens. CRONUS is an HORIZON Europe project that aims to accelerate on the path to sustainable bioenergy and play an important and constructive role in achieving the UN SDGs by incorporating in the biofuels value chain carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CUS) techniques promoting the decarbonisation of the EU economy in accordance to European Green Deal goals. A wide spectrum of biogenic gases CUS technologies (enzymatic capture of CO2, autotrophic algae cultivation, biological CO2 hydrogenation, syngas biomethanation, in-situ biomethanation, biogenic carbon storage by biochar production and soil application). Evaluation of the technical, economic, environmental and social sustainability of the project solutions and services will be performed by exploitation of the latest up-to-date tools, with special emphasis on the sustainability and circularity of the project. A roadmap to market the technologies and services with a strategy to address market segmentation, penetration barriers and opportunities will be drawn. Public and scientific awareness of the project will be raised and all relevant stakeholders will be actively involved in the co-design, co-development and co-implementation of the possible pathways for biogenic effluent gases capture and utilization within the biofuels value chain. CRONUS’ impactful exploitation plan will facilitate the strategic planning of net-negative biofuel production supply chains considering the integration of CRONUS technologies and the results of the sustainability assessment, emphasizing the CO2 footprint, cost-efficiency, and scalability. Further information on EMWIS website

9- The Mediterranean Region is unique in its human society, natural environment and biodiversity, and climate variability. However, it is experiencing rapid population growth, water scarcity, increasing anthropogenic pressures, and rapid climate change. This results in intensified water demand through increased irrigation and water consumption, severely threatening socio-economic stability and ecosystems integrity. In alignment with this challenge and scope of PRIMA objectives on water management, OurMED project was designed to respond to the urgent need for more comprehensive management of water storage and distribution in the Mediterranean region, considering the natural resources and engineered infrastructure over the short and long-term horizons. OurMED is a new vision of fair, balanced and co-designed water storage and distribution management in the Mediterranean region including stakeholder perception and benefiting from technologically-advanced monitoring techniques, smart models prediction, and optimization, and digitalization capabilities. OurMED intends to develop integrated and holistic water management at various scale, ensuring multi-sectorial requirements and avoiding conflicts between domestic/industrial water use, food production, and ecosystem needs. OurMED also aims to reinforce short-term (winter/summer) water storage and distribution forecasting and long-term water management. SEMIDE  is involved in ourMED project and is in charge of the Impact maximization, stakeholders engagement and exploitation. Further information on EMWIS website

10- Join the Edible Cities Network for its 2nd Annual Conference, taking place in Barcelona from 15–17 March 2023 organized by EdiCitNet project. Advancing the Edible City will bring together leading researchers, policymakers and city administrators, civil society actors, green city activists and entrepreneurs to explore the ideas, practices, and systems necessary to support the sustainable, resilient and socially just development of our cities’ food systems. During the event SEMIDE will participate at the poster session and present the results of the EdiCitNet toolbox application in the city of Nice in France. Whether you are a newcomer to the topic of urban food innovation, edible nature-based solutions and Edible Cities, or a seasoned professional, here are just a few reasons why Advancing the Edible City is the event you don’t want to miss. With a combination of keynote talks, roundtable discussions, field trips to urban food projects in Barcelona and lots of chances to discuss and network, this 3-day event will explore the very latest findings on the power of urban food innovation to tackle social, ecological and economic challenges within cities. It will also offer space to create and discuss future visions for our cities, what steps we can take to integrate edible nature-based solutions into current and future urban developments, and how we can ensure cities become drivers for a sustainable food future for all. Find out more and download the provisional program. Registrations now open to attend in-person and online.

11- The SUSTAIN-COAST project published a series of videos in which each partner described the project results according to its own perspective. Sustain-COAST "Sustainable coastal groundwater management and pollution reduction through innovative governance in a changing climate"  is a Mediterranean project funded under PRIMA.

12- On January 23rd 2023, the first Joint Dissemination Workshop of EUFireProjectsUnited was organised online. SAFERS team was there and presented the project's recent outcomes as well as the futures steps. Several projects were present, namely Firelogue, SILVANUS,  Fire-Res,  TREEADS,  FirEUrisk,  FIRElinks, FIRE-IN,  PYROLIFE and  FIREADAPT. The aim of the event was to identify the synergies and the overlaps between the ongoing projects dealing with Wildfire Risk Management. The event was also an opportunity to introduce the EUFireProjectsUnited initiative and promote our common dissemination actions. Further information on SAFERS website

13- To promote HYDROUSA solutions and attract potential customers, the project's team is presenting its solutions for circular water during large fairs and events: First, the Agri travel and Slow Travel Expo (ATEST), which is an international exhibition dedicated to slow, outdoor and active tourism at a local, national and international level. The Expo is scheduled from March 30th to April 2nd (30-31th March B2B for operators and March 31-April for B2C for the general public with free entry) at Bergamo Fiera (Italy). Second, the WATREX Expo which is one of the biggest exhibitions and conferences for water and wastewater technologies in the MENA Region. It will be held in Cairo (Egypt) from 15 to 17 May 2023. Finally, the 102nd congress of the Astee under the theme THE METABOLISM OF TERRITORIES IN A CONTEXT OF ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION. It will be placed under the aegis of the concept of Territorial (or urban) Metabolism and will take place in Nice (France) from 5 to 8 June 2023.  Join us to learn how you can benefits from the nature inspired solutions and develop sustainable local viable business. Further information on HYDROUSA website

14- A Memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in Gafsa, Tunisia on 13 December 2022 in the framework of SUPROMED project between the Agency of agricultural guidance and training (AVFA), the institute of Agricultural Research and Higher Education (IRESA) and National Institute for Research in Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry (INRGREF) Tunisia. IRESA, AVFA, and INRGREF will initiate, stimulate, and support joint projects that will start from the results of SUPROMED project.  SUPROMED is a PRIMA-funded project that started in 2019 and ended in December 2022. From a SUPROMED perspective, the key to tackling water scarcity is efficient irrigation and maximizing water productivity. Farmers can save up to 15-20% of water. In addition, the technological tool offered by SUPROMED calculates the fertilisers that each crop needs based on the soil nutrients, resulting in up to 20% savings compared to the intuition-guided use farmers have been applying till now. SUPROMED project results at demo sites level are summarized here.

15- Nature-based Solutions for a Circular Girona:  On the 2nd and 3rd of March 2023, the Circular City (COST Action) in collaboration with LEQUIA will host a Training Workshop in Girona to provide local stakeholders with essential practical knowledge to realize green circular cities. The training will take place in Centre Cultural de la Mercè, Pujada de la Mercè, 12, 17004 Gironas. Deadline and registration: Send an email to luciaalexandra.popartan@udg.edu, by 20th February 2023. Further information on  Circular City website

16- AGREEMed team in Tunisia “Water Research and Technology Center” CERTE has organized a workshop on aquifer agreements on 11 January 2023. Several local, national and regional stakeholders participated at the workshop held in Hammamet, Tunisia such as: The National Environmental Protection Agency , The International Environmental Technology Centre in Tunis CITET, The German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ, The Municipality of Hammamat ... The workshop was an opportunity to share knowledge on the state of water resources in the region of Hammamet and to co-construct sustainable solutions for the preservation of the water table of Hammamet with the different participant actors. AGREEMED is a PRIMA funded project that aims to improve the capacities of water actors in developing integrated aquifer management plans and demonstrating such development in strategic pilot areas (watersheds) in the Mediterranean region: Souss-Massa in Morocco, Hammamet in Tunisia, and Jordan Valley in Jordan. Further information on AGREEMed website

17- The Maydanki dam in the northern city of Afrin was exposed to huge longitudinal and transverse cracks as a result of the powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria that left over 5000 people dead. The Maydanki dam, also known as the Afrin dam or “17 April” dam, is located 70 kilometers from Aleppo and 12 kilometers from the town of Afrin, near the village of Maydanki, which overlooks the Afrin River. The catchment area is 527 m2, and the annual precipitation ranges from 330 to 700 millimeters. The Afrin River originates from the south of the Kartal Mountains in Turkey and crosses into Syria, where it passes through the city of Afrin and then returns to Turkey. An expert on seismology from the region stated that the Maydanki dam has suffered during the past ten years from neglect of maintenance, which led to a decrease in its life span and its safety factor. The longitudinal and transverse cracks in the dam body also resulted from the lack of permanent technical monitoring of this dam for a long time. The expert explained that the danger lies in  water infiltration within these cracks, as it is possible for the water to leak, which in turn may lead to the expansion of the cracks and generate additional cracks, which may cause a collapse in the dam due to the entry of water into the body of the dam. As a result of the dam’s rupture, the Free Syrian Engineers Association in Turkey formed a committee to uncover the dam’s body in the coming time and to develop perceptions, proposals, and solutions for that.  Further information on EMWIS website

18- With support from the World Bank, in June 2022, Tunisia launched its first report on the status of the blue economy. The report, titled "The Blue Economy in Tunisia: An Opportunity for Integrated and Sustainable Development of the Sea and Coastal Areas", recommends initial guidelines for a national strategy in this area. Spearheaded by the Ministry of the Environment and the Secretariat General for Maritime Affairs, the report is the product of extensive consultation with stakeholders in the blue economy, including the public and private sectors, researchers, and various civil society organizations. “The blue economy offers an opportunity for sustainable development and wealth creation for Tunisia through sustainable use of marine and coastal resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and healthy marine and coastal ecosystems,” said Alexandre Arrobbio, World Bank Country Manager for Tunisia. The report identifies three strategic objectives: (i) promotion of economic growth of maritime activities (ii) social inclusion and gender equality, and (iii) sustainability of natural resources and ecosystem services. Following the publication of this report, the Tunisian Government and the World Bank will continue their cooperation for the development of the blue economy in Tunisia. The World Bank has mobilized the PROBLUE Trust Fund to undertake the second phase of technical assistance, supporting a roadmap for the development of the blue economy in Tunisia. In the second phase of assistance to Tunisia, the Bank will conduct analyses and offer advice on institutional policies and promotion of public and private investment, in addition to providing support for strategic and operational dialogue with relevant stakeholders. Further information on EMWIS website

20- The government of Egypt will spend 3.6 billion Egyptian pounds (about 123 million dollar) to strengthen the water supply in the governorate of Aswan. The budget was approved by parliament and announced on 14 January 2023 in a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. As the governorate of Aswan, located in southern Egypt, faces water stress due to its desert climate and exacerbated by drought, the Egyptian government announced funding of 3.6 billion Egyptian pounds (about 123 million dollar) for an “effective response” to this climate phenomenon. This funding constitutes 38% of the 9.5 billion Egyptian pounds (about 322 million euros) approved by the Egyptian parliament for all projects (transport, housing, water, etc.) that will be implemented in Aswan in 2023, an increase of 17.3% compared to the 2021/2022 plan. Further information on EMWIS website

21- In 2022, the government of Egypt planted 3.1 million trees in the 27 governorates. The operation is part of the “100 million trees” initiative launched by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sissi on the sidelines of the 27th United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP27) held in November 2022 in the seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. This reforestation campaign aims to combat drought and improve the living conditions of the population. The Egyptian authorities plan to plant around 7.7 million trees, “of which 2.7 million will be planted by the governorates”, for the year 2023 alone. The goal is to reach 100 million trees on 6,600 hectares of land by 2030. For the Egyptian Minister of Local Development, the initiative will contribute to the creation of green spaces, notably public gardens, as well as the promotion of ecotourism in several cities. “The aim is to improve air quality, reduce the risks linked to global warming, preserve the public health of citizens while fighting against food insecurity,” explains Hicham Amna. Among the species planted are fruit trees such as olive trees, which produce edible oil that is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine and for certain African therapies. To this end, the “100 million trees” initiative will also promote the development of agro-ecology and the creation of jobs on Egyptian soil. Further information on EMWIS website

22- After launching programmes to exploit non-conventional water from desalination and wastewater treatment, the Algerian government is activating the “water police” to mitigate the effects of water stress in the country, notably the over exploitation of ground and surface water, and wastage. This decision was recently announced by the President of the Algerian Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The “water police”, institutionalized within the framework of law n֯ 05-12 August 2005 relating to water in Algeria, will therefore control the use of water resources in all areas of activity, particularly agriculture, which consumes nearly 70% of available resources. Thus, in accordance with Article 161 of this law, the representatives of the ‘water police’ will have access to the works and installations exploited for the use of the public hydraulic domain. The same article specifies that they may also require the owner or operator of these facilities and installations to put them into operation in order to carry out useful verifications and require access to all documents necessary for the accomplishment of their mission. Further information on EMWIS website

23- To face water stress in Algeria, the authorities are launching a training and scientific research programme on seawater desalination in four public establishments as from 2023. The initiative comes at a time when the country has 19 desalination plants, five of which are under construction. This is one of the resolutions of the Algerian government for the year 2023. Seawater desalination will henceforth be taught in four public institutions in this North African country. These are the University of Ouargla, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Hydraulique de Blida, the Ecole Nationale Polytechnique d’Oran and the Houari Boumediene University of Science and Technology located in the council of Bab Ezzouar to the east of the capital Algiers. “The objective is to train graduates (engineering, bachelor’s and master’s degrees) capable of dealing with the daily problems of operating desalination plants and meeting the needs of the drinking water production sector,” explains Aïmene Benabderrahmane, the Algerian Prime Minister. The training programme will be supervised by Kamel Baddari, the Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in collaboration with his counterpart Yacine Merabi in charge of Vocational Training and Education. For six months, the learners in each cohort will be equipped with desalination techniques, maintenance, particularly the upkeep and cleaning of filters in seawater and brackish water desalination plants. Algeria relies on desalination to increase its drinking water production capacity. Further information on EMWIS website 

24- The European Union has launched two new initiatives worth 25 million Euro to support vulnerable people in Lebanon and to fight food insecurity. These initiatives are a response to the negative impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on the European Union’s neighbouring countries. The funds available for Lebanon will provide immediate assistance for 7,245 impoverished Lebanese families (41,287 individuals) enrolled in the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP). The NPTP is the country’s social safety net implemented by the Government in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme. The EU assistance will help Lebanese people in need to cover their food needs. In the medium to longer term, the European Union wants to help strengthening Lebanese agricultural and agri-food systems. The productive capacity of Lebanese farmers shall be increased. A less demanding and more climate-suitable agriculture shall be supported. This will help Lebanon diversify its food production and move away from dependency on crops/cereals imports. This project will be implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Programme. This new funding is additional to the already existing projects implemented in the country related to food security and social protection. The Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf, declared at the launch of these initiatives: “The European Union stands by the side of the Lebanese people in these challenging times.” Further information on EMWIS website

25- France has announced what it calls a “daily water sobriety plan” to slash water consumption following a severe drought last summer that parched most of the country. The measures were presented on 25 January  by Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Béchu, who spoke of measuring water in “ecowatts” and overhauling the country’s water treatment system. The average consumption of 150 litres of water per person per day was not sustainable, the minister said. "There will be a before and after 'summer of 2022’,” Béchu added, calling on all sectors to make an effort to cut down on water use, including farmers. Further information on EMWIS website