EMWIS Flash 168 April 2024

2- The Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published its report Drought in the Mediterranean – January 2024 on the persisting droughts and their impact across the wider region. Long-lasting, above-average temperatures, warm spells and poor precipitation have led to severe drought conditions in the Mediterranean region, affecting numerous areas across southern Italy, southern Spain, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. In the midst of winter, the ongoing drought is already having critical impacts, according to the report compiled by the JRC-run European Drought Observatory (EDO). It also points to seasonal forecast predicting a warmer spring in southern Italy, Greece, the Mediterranean islands, and northern Africa. As the drought’s severity is expected to persist, concerns rise about its impacts on agriculture, ecosystems, drinking water availability and energy production. The report shows the importance of climate mitigation – every tenth of a degree of global warming will increase the risks of prolonged droughts – as well as adaption measures for water management and for sectors depending on fresh water like agriculture and drinking water production in face of worsening impacts of global warming. Further information on EMWIS website  

3- Over 350 participants convened in Athens for the 2nd UfM Stakeholder Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy. Public and private officials, along with key civil society actors, reviewed progress and next steps regarding the 10 priority cooperation areas outlined in the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Blue Economy. The conference hosted 11 parallel multi-stakeholder workshops focusing on various aspects of sustainable blue economy, including marine research and innovation, blue skills and employment, sustainable food from the sea, climate-neutral maritime transport, marine litter management, island-based initiatives, coastal tourism, ecosystem-based management, marine renewable energies, maritime safety, and blue finance in the Mediterranean. These workshops aimed to facilitate capacity building and engagement, providing insights for revising the implementation roadmap of the Ministerial Declaration. Additionally, networking activities, including B2B sessions, aimed to support innovative SMEs and enhance the maritime cluster ecosystem in the Mediterranean. The event concluded with a session highlighting upcoming projects, calls, and financial opportunities. Further information on EMWIS website

4- Malta’s Water Services Corporation with the collaboration of the Energy and Water Agency will be holding an International Course on the Desalination of Seawater and Brackish Water between Monday 6th and Thursday 9th May 2024. The course will be held in Malta and delivered by experts from the Water Services Corporation and Water Globe Consultants. Course content will focus on the review of the latest reverse osmosis (RO) and brackish membrane desalination plant technologies and will also include hand-on experience. Attendance to the course is open for engineers and technicians from Mediterranean countries working in the desalination sector. Jump to Registration Form

5- A Workshop on Water Scarcity challenges in Europe (online), with a particular focus on the Spanish case ill be organised by the Spanish Association of Desalination and Reuse (AEdyR), in partnership with WATER EUROPE. The workshop will take place on 26th April 2024 from 10h to 12h (Madrid Time). Participation is open to all, although previous registration is compulsory in order to receive the connection link. Further information on EMWIS website
   

6- The Saudi Arabia Kingdom's successful bid was announced during a meeting in Türkiye, organized by the World Water Council, where it won over Italy in the voting process. Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, confirmed that hosting the forum is a testament to Saudi Arabia's progress in achieving developmental, economic, and societal goals amidst water scarcity challenges. He highlighted the critical role of the National Water Strategy in creating a comprehensive institutional framework and effective planning to ensure the availability of safe, clean, and high-quality water at affordable prices. Saudi Arabia's updated Water Law, encouraging greater private sector participation, aims to improve access to clean and safe water for all, promoting sustainable water management practices in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 goals. The World Water Council's triennial forum serves as an essential platform for collaboration among the water community and key policymakers, focusing on making long-term advancements in global water challenge solutions. Further information on EMWIS website 

7- In collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), this webinar delved into the complexities of digital transformation in water management. Dr. Hassan Tolba Aboelnga, Chair of IWRA’s Urban Water Security Working Group, moderated the discussion, emphasising that digital transformation isn’t just about technology but rather a strategic journey shaped by people toward a sustainable water future. With more than 400 registrants from around the world, the webinar showcased global interest in the topic. Eric Tardieu, Secretary General of IWRA, highlighted the importance of digitalisation for water security, commending the impactful initiatives of IWRA’s Urban Water Security Working Group in driving change. Almotaz Abadi, Deputy Secretary General for Water, Environment, and Blue Economy for the UfM, stressed the urgent need for solutions to water excess and scarcity, advocating for early warning systems and reducing non-revenue water levels. Samira Shaban Pina from the UfM explored digital transformation’s role in water management. Bora Helvaci from Siemens showcased projects such as sewer optimisation and stormwater management, emphasising that digitisation is an ongoing journey rather than a one-time project. Slavco Velickov from Bentley’s Water and Wastewater Solution emphasised the need to prioritise water at the political level, linking environmental sustainability with water policy and infrastructure funding. Lylian Coelho, Development Director at AgroParisTech-SUEZ, Chair of Water for All – General Management of Water and Sanitation Services, stressed the importance of shared knowledge and learning paths in digitalisation, focusing on collecting the right data over time to mitigate losses. Jorge Helmbrecht from IDRICA presented the GoAigua solution, highlighting its integration of data from various tools and technologies to provide a real-time view of processes and infrastructure. The webinar concluded with an interactive panel discussion where speakers shared insights and addressed audience queries, emphasising the need for collaboration and innovation in digital transformation for a sustainable water future. Further information on EMWIS website
 

8- SEMIDE together with the Sahara and Sahel Observatory and Tour du Valat organised a study visit on January 23-24 bringing together partners and stakeholders of the Restore NAW project from Morocco and Tunisia. The aim was to exchange experiences and share best practices in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for the protection and restoration of wetland ecosystems, as well as for better adaptation to climate change. Discussions focused on proven techniques and approaches used in various monitoring, conservation, and restoration actions in wetland environments. These initiatives were conducted by Tour du Valat and SEMIDE, along with their partners, in the Camargue region and other areas across the Mediterranean basin. As part of this visit, a dedicated session was held for the OurMED project, during which OurMED’s French partners SEMIDE and Tour du Valat presented various project activities around the Mediterranean basin.  Further information on EMWIS website

9-  The LIFE project Water & Climate together with national project Explore2 will organise a seminar on hydro-climatic projections and adaptation of water management plans in France, on 28 June 2024, Paris. Explore2 "the future of water" is exploring the linkages between climate evolution and river basins hydrology. It is implemented by INRAE, together with OiEau, the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) and the Ministry in charge of Water. All results are integrated into the DRIAS webportal set-up by MeteoFrance  in the framework the LIFE project water & climate coordinated by OiEau to support manager of water resources to revised their management plans taking into account the impact of climate change on hydrology. A Mooc to facilitate the use of the results will also be launched during this event. Case studies from several river basins and a white paper will also be presented. Further information in GESTEAU website 

10- On February 15, 2024, the EdiCitNet project launched its Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled "Making Cities Edible: Cultivating Sustainable Urban Environments." This free online course explores the intersection of urban development and food production, highlighting the potential of Edible City Solutions. Whether you're planning an edible city initiative, seeking guidance for a startup or social business, interested in adding a social component to your business, involved in urban planning at the local municipality level, or simply curious about the future of cities, this course offers insights beyond vertical gardens and rooftop farms. Led by a team of over 200 expert instructors worldwide, the course covers topics such as urban agriculture, sustainability, and community development. Through lectures, discussions, and case studies, participants gain a comprehensive understanding of Edible City Solutions and the tools to drive change in their communities. Aimed at initiatives, urban developers, small to medium-sized businesses, and anyone interested in urban sustainability, the course provides an accessible platform for learning and networking. To join the course and shape the cities of tomorrow, visit the Moodle platform for registration and access tutorials. Learn more about EdiCitNet MOOC

11-  The 2nd Mediterranean Day « Economic and Statistic Modeling and Analysis » (MD ESMA) was organized by CIHEAM-IAMM, Montpellier (France), INRAE (National Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment), and R.L. ESMA (Research Laboratory « Economic and Statistic Modeling and Analysis », Higher School of Statistics and Information Analysis, University of Carthage), in cooperation with CERDI (Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches sur le Développement International, CNRS-University of Clermont Auvergne, France) and CREAD (Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquée pour le Développement, Algeria); with the support of FESP, Cairo University (Egypt) and ENSA, University Ibn Zohr (Morocco). That conference had been dedicated to the work of researchers from the Mediterranean region or studying topics concerning the Mediterranean regions, with a special attention to young researchers (PhD students and postdocs) from Maghreb countries and more generally from the Mediterranean region. Participants had come from France, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Germany, Canada, and Belgium. It aimed on the one hand at enhancing the work of young researchers of these regions using quantitative methods and economic and mathematical modeling, while giving them the benefit of the experience of senior researchers. It had thus allowed identifying PhD students and postdocs using these approaches that were little used in the economic research in some of those countries. This conference had been on the other hand an opportunity for these teams to meet, exchange views, share experience, and consider the possibility to set up partnerships within European and international projects in order to build long-term relations.  Learn more about AGREEMed

12- The final exploitation event of SAFERS (Wild fire prevention and management integration COPERNICUS data) was held at the Lavazza Museum in Turin on March 4th, 2024. The project coordinator as well as the technology providers of SAFERS presented the project and its integrated platform to several European stakeholders, such as Esri Italia SpA - Esri Inc, Regione Piemonte, Satways Ltd and Ithaca S.r.l.. During the event, the open access platform was illustrated, and a live demonstration took place to display all of the capabilities of the integrated fire prevention and management system that has been developed over the past three years. SAFERS platform has attracted a lot of interest from both public & private operators. For further impact, SAFERS platform and Intelligent Services will be the subject of a free trial period of one year. To download the presentations: Link. Find out more about SAFERS Intelligent Services: Link

13- The first annual meeting of CRONUS (producing biogas without CO2 emissions) took place in Barcelona on February 19th and 20th at the premises of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA). The event gathered the project’s partners to discuss CRONUS progress as well as the future steps. CRONUS team had also the pleasure to collect feedback from the members of the advisory board regarding the developed technologies of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage while providing technical and operational recommendations. During this event, SEMIDE has organized and animated a workshop on CRONUS Business Model Canvas, during which, very insightful discussions took place with the functional prototypes’ operators. The Workshop gave the opportunity of an exchange of views and information concerning the key activities, resources as well as the socio-economic and environmental value propositions of CRONUS.  Learn more about CRONUS.

14-   In pursuit of sustainable solutions to water challenges, the Higher School of Engineers of Medjez Elbeb organized a living lab workshop on February 14, 2024, as part of the OurMED project. This event convened stakeholders identified during preparatory interviews, comprising 51 participants representing various sectors, including farmers, administrative bodies (CRDA, ONAS, SONEDE), municipal representatives, agricultural service companies, and ODESYPANO: the Northwest Sylvopastoral Development Office. During the preparatory interviews, four key themes emerged, all interconnected with the issue of Medjerda's water: Water Quality- Water Governance- Water and Soil Conservation Works - Access to Water. These themes formed the basis for subgroup discussions, followed by the presentation and prioritization of identified issues. The workshop revealed several primary challenges: Medjerda Pollution (Quality)- Lack of Public Awareness (Access)- Absence of Water Governance Enforcement (Governance)- Water Scarcity (Access)- Issues with Updating and Enforcing Water Laws. Moving forward, the OurMED project aims to collaboratively develop actionable strategies and initiatives to address these challenges effectively. By fostering partnerships between stakeholders, leveraging technological innovations, and promoting sustainable practices, the project seeks to ensure the long-term vitality and resilience of the Medjerda water ecosystem. In conclusion, the OurMED workshop served as a crucial platform for dialogue and collaboration among diverse stakeholders, laying the groundwork for informed decision-making and collective action to safeguard the water resources of the Medjerda region. Through sustained efforts and collective commitment, we can work towards a future where water is abundant, clean, and accessible for all. More information about the project on OurMED website

15- In Marseille, France, two demonstration sites have been designated to accommodate several NBS to limit runoff and heatwaves in the framework of the European project CARDIMED. The Saint Charles area implementation will commence in autumn 2024, while the Saint Jérôme site has already made significant progress. To present the CARDIMED project and progress made in Marseilles, A French Sterring Committe meeting was organised on March 25th at St Jérome campus. Representatives from the Region Sud, the Metropolitan area of Aix Marseille, Aix-Marseille University (AMU), the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), local research centers, and water agency Rhone Mediterranea and companies attend the meeting. SEMIDE represented the CARDIMED project, the Region Sud explained the regional strategy, and EMPAN along with researchers from AMU delivered presentations on water runoff, global warming, air quality, biodiversity, soil analysis and the implementation works carried out. The One Health component of the project was also introduced, elucidating its research goals on zoonosis, and public health. CARDIMED is an EU-funded project that strated in September 2023. Its objective is to establish a framework and network for enhancing climate resilience in the Mediterranean biogeographical region, consolidating disparate efforts and solutions. The project aims to establish an extensive digital infrastructure for enhanced data collection, evaluation, and access, and to implement holistic modeling tools such as water-energy-food-ecosystems to enhance organization and efficiency.  Learn more about CARDIMED

16- On November 16, 2023, Veolia and Vendée Eau inaugurated France's first unit for reusing treated wastewater to produce drinking water as part of the Jourdain programme. This solution will provide an additional resource of 1.5 million m3 of drinking water over the period from May to October, during periods of increased water shortage in the Vendée. The development of alternative water sources, such as the reuse of treated wastewater, is part of a range of solutions for dealing with the increasingly frequent droughts in France. Using this resource to produce drinking water, as is the case in several countries around the world, can be an effective response, particularly in coastal areas that are subject to recurrent water stress, are densely populated and have high tourist flows. With an estimated water deficit of 8 million m3 by 2025-2030, equivalent to the consumption of 150,000 people, the Vendée is an example of a region that has shown the vision and determination to prepare for the resource scarcity crisis by becoming a French pioneer in the production of drinking water from wastewater. Further information on EMWIS website