EMWIS Flash N°93, September 2011

EMWIS Flash - September 2011 Euro-Mediterranean Information System on the know-how in the Water Sector EMWIS is a program of the Union for the Mediterranean. For further information: www.emwis.net Monthly Flash produced by the EMWIS Technical Unit- OIEAU, CEDEX, SOGESID- It is available in English, French & Arabic. (French & Arabic versions are available few days later) Mediterranean Water Information Mechanism / Geo-Catalogue / UfM-Water

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In this issue N°93 (www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash93)
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HEADLINE
1- World Water Forum preparation,  Collection of solutions for t arget 1.5.7 "sharing and monitoring information at the transboundary level"
IN BRIEF
2- The 1st Mediterranean Water Forum, Marrakech, 19-20/12/2011
3- Mediterranean Economic Week: “Water Governance in the Mediterranean” Workshop
4- EMWIS & Revolve signed a partnership agreement
5- EU: Committee of Regions proposes bold steps to improve sustainable water management
6- EU Council called EU member states to adopt an Integrated Flood Management approach
7- ENPI CBC MED: Launch of the first standard projects (Signature of 9 grant contracts)
8- The 7th “Environment for Europe” Ministerial Conference: Adoption of a Ministerial Declaration titled “Save water, grow green!”
9- Palestine: Need for equitable access to water
10- Egypt and Ethiopia agree to hold tripartite meeting on Nile
11- Libya, Tripoli: water supply resumed as rebels regain control of the Great Man-Made River Project
12- Tunisia: CIUDAD project assists Tunisia in building a new wastewater facility
13- Algeria: Creation of the National Agency for Integrated Water Resources Management
14- Algeria: Suez Environnement re-appointed for Water Management in Algiers
15- Algeria: ACCIONA Agua commissions its first desalination plant
16- Iraq launches groundwater database to reduce uncertainty in the country’s water supply
17- EEA project assists Med partners in developing environmental information networks
18- Sustainable domestic Water Use in Mediterranean Regions (SWMED)
19- WBCSD launches first industry specific water tools
NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
PUBLICATIONS  
CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
CALL FOR PAPERS
TRAINING
EVENTS
PROJECTS
BRIEF EMWIS SITE MAP
CONTACT US / COMMENTS

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HEADLINE
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1- In the framework of the preparation of the next World Water Forum, which will be held in Marseille in March 2012, EMWIS has been appointed as Coordinator for the Target 7, of the theme Contribute to Cooperation and Peace. The target 7 is related to the setting up of Water Information Systems at Transboundary level and is worded as follows: By 2018, develop mechanisms to share and monitor information at the transboundary level especially on (i) scientific and social data for information systems: contribution to an online inventory and establishment of a water observatory, and (ii) indicators and guidelines for programmes monitoring the quality of cooperation and the impact of the lack of access to water on cooperation and peace-building. EMWIS is now collecting contributions in order to present during the Forum the existing or innovative solutions, and to get if possible commitments on their achievement (solution = case studies illustrating real solutions that are sufficiently relevant to be selected for the Forum). According to the timeframe defined by the ICF (International Forum Committee), the identification and collection of solutions have to be done in September and October 2011.These "solutions" will form the basis for presentations and discussions at the Forum session. Further information on  EMWIS website.

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IN BRIEF (Full news)
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2- The First Mediterranean Water Forum will be jointly organized by the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME) and the State Secretariat in charge of Water and Environment of Morocco, and will take place in Marrakech (Morocco) on 19-20 December 2011, a first step to the Word Water Forum of 2012. Therefore, this preparatory seminar aims to bring together around targeted themes the main stakeholders of the Water Community in the Mediterranean, namely: decision-making bodies, local and regional authorities, parliamentarians, donors, representatives of the private sector and experts, regional networks, other civil society stakeholders and State representatives. During this seminar, a Steering Committee of the Mediterranean Water Forum will be set up and charged with the preparation and with the holding of the Forum with a view to echo the voices of the regional and local authorities in the Water Word Forum, scheduled in Marseilles in 2012. The themes discussed will take into account the specificities of the Mediterranean region, and thematic working groups will meet outside the Steering committee to elaborate proposals around targeted themes: the governance of water, the re-use of waste water and desalination. Further information on  EMWIS website.

3- The 5th Mediterranean Economic Week will take place in Marseille, France, from 10 to 15 October 2011. Within this framework, the Mediterranean Water Institute (IME) together with Union of Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region and City of Marseille will organize a workshop related to “Water Governance in the Mediterranean”  on October 14th, 2011 from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm. This debate will be of great importance vis-à-vis the next regional and international events i.e. the 1st Mediterranean Water Forum in Marrakech (December 19-20, 2011) and the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille (March 12-17, 2012). Further information on EMWIS website.

4- Revolve & EMWIS signed a partnership agreement last 21th september 2011. This agreement aims at contributing to Revolve special 50-page report on Water Around the Mediterranean. Launched in January 2011, REVOLVE’s Water Around the Mediterranean online section provides diverse coverage on water in the Mediterranean region, examining the main challenges to future supply, showcasing innovative new projects and initiatives, and featuring interviews with key decision-makers in the field. This coverage is the basis for REVOLVE’s special 50-pages report on Water Around the Mediterranean to be distributed at the 6th World Water Forum in March 2012 and included as a special Revolve supplement. Further information on EMWIS website.

5- Europe must do more to ensure the sustainable use of water or risk failure in its battle against climate change and an increasing risk of both droughts and floods. This was the message from the Committee of the Regions at the end of June 2011 following the adoption of an opinion drafted by Nichi Vendola (IT/PES), President of the Puglia region, which also calls for a multi-level, cross-border approach to the management of river basins and proposes targets for water efficiency and extending the Covenant of Mayors to include sustainable water use. The final report of the survey on  the role of local and regional authorities in the sustainable use of water was issued in May 2011. In the future, the CoR wants to see the water basin management approach extended by bringing together authorities from every level of government across national borders. The Committee's request is expected to be taken on board by the European Commission, which will propose a blueprint for protecting Europe's water during 2012. The Committee's opinion also proposes setting targets for 2020 similar to those on energy consumption: a 20% increase in water-saving in all sectors; a 20% increase in the number of water courses being renaturalised to reduce flood risk and a 20% increase in the volume of water re-used and/or recycled in farming and industry. Further information on EMWIS website.

6- At a meeting on internal Affairs on 12 May 2011 in Brussels, the EU Council adopted conclusions on Integrated Flood Management within the European Union. Among other measures, the Council calls upon States members to promote the use of warning systems available such as the EFAS (European System of flood Alert) and ERS GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security - Emergency Response Service) to improve early warning for citizens. In its conclusions, the Council underlines the need for Member States and the EU to adopt an integrated approach in flood management, based on current laws and policies in Member States and the EU, with particular attention to the Flood Directive (Directive 2007/60/EC of 23 October 2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks), and including the management of the disaster cycle (prevention, preparedness, response and recovery), and also encouraged members states to further develop this integrated approach, it is also necessary to strengthen cooperation and sharing of information between the relevant competent authorities at national, regional and local levels on disaster management and water. Further information on  EMWIS website.

7- The Joint Managing Authority of the programme ENPI CBC MED hast just announced that 9 contracts, awarded under the first call for standard projects, have been signed with grant beneficiaries. Promotion of new forms of tourism, innovative management of water at urban level, valorisation of the Greco-Roman heritage, reinforcement of cooperation in the audiovisual sector: these are a few examples of the topics addressed by the very first standard projects funded by the Programme. Further information on EMWIS website.

8- The seventh “Environment for Europe” Ministerial Conference concluded with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration titled “Save water, grow green!” Through the Declaration, ministers agree to take the lead in the transition to a green economy and to make substantive contributions to the discussions on green economy within the context of sustainable development, poverty alleviation and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The high-level meeting convened in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 21-23 September 2011, under the themes “sustainable management of water and water-related ecosystems,” and “greening the economy: mainstreaming the environment into economic development.” During the Conference, participants addressed: effective policies to protect water-related ecosystems; linkages between human health and water; water management adaptation to climate change; cooperation in transboundary basins; water efficiency; and effective green economy policies in the transport, housing, energy, agriculture and education sectors. Participants called for the use of payments for ecosystem services and a common UNECE method for valuing ecosystems services; recognized integrated water resource management for resilience and vulnerability; stressed the need to address climate change impacts and promote adaptation; and emphasized that effective water policies can stimulate innovation, investment, job creation and new business models contributing to the green economy. Further information on EMWIS website.

9- This September, when the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, presents the Palestinian bid for UN membership at the UN headquarters in New York, many Palestinians worry as much about issues closer to their daily lives, such as access to water. The shortage of water is evident in the entire Jordan River basin. The risk of conflicts is increased by the high population growth, by the shrinking water share per capita and by the vulnerability due to increased climatic variability, resulting from climate change. Water is necessary for the survival of the Palestinian farmer who needs to irrigate his land to grow food to feed the family. A normal Palestinian family spends on average 8 per cent of its income on buying freshwater, which is double the internationally accepted norm and far more than what a normal family in the northern hemisphere would pay. Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians have access to sufficient water and the main water resources are shared by the two. As in the many cases where transboundary waters are regulated by international agreements. However, those agreements should be seen more as roadmaps towards a final agreement between the two parties. Due to the current political impasse, such an agreement is unlikely to be reached any time soon. As part of the cooperation that has been institutionalised despite all challenges, there is a so-called Joint Water Committee (JWC) tasked with managing water issues that need to be addressed jointly. This committee has been meeting throughout the last two decades which, in a sense, is an achievement in itself. In 2009, the World Bank made an assessment of the Palestinian water sector which concluded that Israel, through a variety of measures, has made it impossible for the Palestinians to develop a water sector of their own. At the World Water Week in Stockholm, in August 2011, the Palestinian water minister, Dr Shaddad Attilli, voiced the increasing frustration of the Palestinians over their water situation, asking the international community for help. Recent research on transboundary water relations in basins focuses not only on established basic levels of cooperation, but also how this cooperation is constructed. It emphasises how cooperation in a basin is often steered, or manipulated, in line with the interests of the dominant part in the basin. Further information on EMWIS website.

10- Egypt and Ethiopia agreed last 15th september 2011 to hold a meeting of its tripartite committee on the Nile, which also includes Sudan, to assess the potential effects of Ethiopia's building what it is calling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the river. The exact date of the meeting will be determined after Addis Ababa and Khartoum review the terms of the committee's purview. The announcement came at a press conference held by Egypt's Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hesham Mohamed Qandil and his Ethiopian counterpart, Almayho Tigno, on 15 September at the Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry headquarters. The ministers said they were waiting for Sudan's final reply to setting the committee's exact responsibilities. The committee will set mechanisms for future cooperation between the three countries in developing the Blue Nile. They stressed that they did not discuss the Nile Basin Initiative, the consequences of which are scheduled to be discussed at a conference of energy ministers of Nile Basin countries in Kigali, Rwanda, at the end of October. Qandil said the tripartite committee will be responsible for fostering areas of cooperation in water resource management and exchanging technical expertise, as well as developing a memorandum of understanding to share expertise between Egypt and Ethiopia's human resource ministries. Tigno stressed that according to studies carried out by Ethiopian experts, the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile will not negatively affect either country's share of water. The Ethiopian minister said his country has agreed to form a committee comprised of experts from all three countries in order to confirm these claims and continue cooperation between the countries. Further information on EMWIS website.

11- More than a week after the taps had run dry, water supplies to the Libyan capital Tripoli resumed on 6 September. This was two days after the rebels said they had taken control of the Great Man-Made River (GMMR) Project, which provides 6.5 million cubic metres of water a day to the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi, Sirte and elsewhere. Senior officials of the rebels’ interim government earlier accused Gaddafi loyalists of destroying water pumps and attacking water engineers trying to restart pumping stations. South Korea said it was sending a team of water engineers to Libya help restore water supply services that were sabotaged. Companies from South Korea and other countries including USA, Turkey, UK, Japan and Germany, had been awarded contracts to work on the Great Man-Made River Project which began in 1994. Called the largest civil engineering venture in the world, the GMMR Project was one of Gaddafi’s most prized projects attracting international attention. UNESCO in 1999 accepted Libya’s offer to fund an award named after it, the Great Man-Made River International Water Prize (last awarded in 2009). Funded from oil revenues, the project provided water free of charge to Libyan consumers. The total cost since the start in 1984, an official in the GMMR Authority in Benghazi, has been about US$ 9.2 billion with another US$ 3.4b billion planned to be spent for the completion of phase three (and not US$ 25 billion as announced by previous governement). Further information on EMWIS website.

12- The CIUDAD project for sustainable water management in the Mediterranean Tourist Areas (TourMedEau) is holding a meeting with its partners from 3 to 6 October to discuss the design of a tertiary treatment station for wastewater to be built in the Tunisian town of Ajim-Djerba. A press release said it is expected that regenerated water from the facility would restore Ajim’s palm grove, leading to new initiatives in agriculture and tourism. Technical staff from ENAS (Regional Agency for Water Management in Sardinia, Italy) will meet the Tunisian partners of ONAS (Office National d’Assainissement de Tunisie), SONEDE (Société Nationale d'Exploitation et de Distribution des Eaux) and the Municipality of Ajim. The TourMedEau project is funded by the European Union under the Ciudad Programme - Dialogue and Cooperation in Urban Development through the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI), planned to help local governments of ENPI regions in improving their ability to plan for a sustainable, integrated and long-term urban development, according to the principles of good governance. In this scenario, TourMedEau contributes to promote dialogue and cooperation between public administrations of the two Mediterranean shores, in order to improve environmental sustainability in urban areas through a more efficient public management of water services.  Further information on EMWIS website.

13- The Algerian National Agency for Integrated Water Resources Management (AGIRE in French) has been created under an Executive Order of the Minister of Water Resources M. A. SELLAL (Official Gazette No. 43). The creation of this agency is part of the executive decree published in January 2010 on the Algerian master plan for water resources. Its General Director will be nominated by the Minister of Water Resources. AGIRE is a public institution with industrial and commercial nature (EPIC), enjoying financial independence. The national agency will federate the five basin agencies. Its mission is to develop and ensure at national level integrated water resources management and collect the corresponding fees. Further information on EMWIS website.

14- The French Suez Environnement was re-appointed for Water Management in Algiers, said last 13th September Algerian Minister of Water Resources Abdelmalek Sellal. The second contract, for a period of five years for 107 million euros, marks the renewal of the contract with the operator SEAAL (Water and Sanitation Company of Algiers), said Sellal on the sidelines of a visit to the city of Mascara (west Algeria). The Algerian waters (ADE) and the Algerian Sanitation Office (ONA) had entrusted water and sanitation operation in Algiers in March 2006 for a period of five years to Suez environnement for 113 million euros. A company incorporated under Algerian law, SEAAL, was then created to carry out the work. The minister said the water management department of Tipaza (70 km west of Algiers) was also assigned to SEAAL within this new market. The Department of Tipaza situated on the extension of the west coast of Algiers needs to "modernize the management of its water resources to meet the needs expressed in this region with high tourism potential," said Mr. Sellal. This contract, entered into execution in the beginning of September 2011, involves the "development and improvement of services relating to water supply and sanitation in Algiers and Tipaza." The Algerian capital, of which some areas previously suffered from frequent shortages, is now supplied 24 hours with drinking water, according to Jean-Marc Jahn, CEO of SEAAL. Algeria has planned to invest more than $ 15 billion in water between 2010 and 2014, mainly to build 19 new dams, desalination plants and transfer networks, according to a public investment program. Further information on EMWIS website.

15- The Fouka desalination plant, which is already functioning at full capacity, treats 120,000 m3 of water per day and supplies 500,000 people in Zéralda and the western part of Algiers. ACCIONA Agua (in consortium with Canadian company, Lavalin and in partnership with state-owned Algerian Energy Company - AEC) will operate the plant for 25 years, representing a backlog of 790 million dollars. The desalination plant, located in Wilaya de Tipaza, Fouka province, just a few kilometres west of Algiers, uses reverse osmosis technology. The Fouka plant is part of a desalination plant construction programme that the Algerian government has been undertaking since 2007. ACCIONA Agua is a world leader in reverse osmosis desalination and a global provider of end-to-end water management services, with plants in Spain, Australia, England, Portugal, and Italy, among others. Further information on EMWIS website.

16- The Government of Iraq reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the ongoing water crisis during a national seminar in Baghdad in July 2011, ushering in phase two of the new National Hydrogeological Resources Assessment Network and Database for Iraq, known as geoFIA. Representatives of the government, academia and the international community recently met at a high-level gathering in Baghdad to inaugurate the country’s first centralized groundwater database and commission the next phase of the multi-million dollar initiative led by the UNESCO. The seminar officially revealed positive phase one results of the nationwide initiative launched in 2010. GeoFIA was built by Radar Technologies International and Studio Galli Ingegneria and can be used by Iraqi experts to collect, update and analyze information on groundwater on a continual basis, enabling more effective water planning by the government. The interactive web-based platform will help the Iraqi government to accelerate their efforts in addressing drought and other water-related problems which until now have been hindered by lack of up-to-date information on underground water. The European Union provided the funding for Phase I of the project. In addition H.E. Jana Hybaskova, Ambassador of the EU praised the efforts of the Government and UNESCO and shared the EU’s intention to continue the support for Phase II. Further information on EMWIS website.

17- The EU-funded project ENPI-Shared Environment Information System (ENPI-SEIS) has conducted visits to Algeria, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian territory and Israel in order to evaluate the situation in terms of Environment Information Systems and identify their needs. A press release said these two-day visits brought together existing national monitoring networks, which manage environmental information, to identify country-specific elements and needs related to SEIS components (content, infrastructure, institutional cooperation). The aim was to obtain feedback on country specific needs and readiness for SEIS implementation in priority areas, in order to formulate possible pilot actions if requested, as well as to contribute to further priority development and possible identification of common indicators. After the visits, the National Focal Points in each country are preparing together with the European Environment Agency (EEA) a country report, including concrete lists of actions to be implemented. These reports are key elements for the development of SEIS in the neighbourhood countries since they are designed to engage the country in reflecting on the current state-of-play and future development needs of the three SEIS components. Further information on  EMWIS website.

18- Promotion of new forms of tourism, innovative management of water at urban level, valorisation of the Greco-Roman heritage, reinforcement of cooperation in the audiovisual sector: these are a few examples of the topics addressed by the very first standard projects funded by the Programme. Fact sheets presenting the partnership, objectives, expected results and budget of these projects can be consulted. One of the first standard projects granted under the ENPI CBC MED programme is: Sustainable domestic Water Use in Mediterranean Regions (SWMED). The SWMED project focuses on the optimisation of the per capita water consumption at household and urban level through the implementation of water saving devices, reuse of treated wastewater, rainwater harvesting, a pool of technologies known as Sustainable Water Management (SWM). 7 partners participates in this project: 1. IRIDRA (Italy, Toscana), 2. SVI.MED – Mediterranean Centre for the Sustainable Development (Italy, Sicilia), 3. Malta Resources Authority (Malta), 4. Ministry of Gozo (Malta), 5. Palestinian Hydrology Group (Palestinian Authority), 6. Centre de Recherches et Technologies des Eaux (Tunisia, Nabeul), and 7. Palestinian Water Authority (Palestinian Authority). Further information on EMWIS website.

19- The WBCSD Global Water Tool (www.wbcsd.org) is a free and easy to use tool for companies and organizations to map their water use and assess risks relative to their global operations and supply chains. The WBCSD has also included a Biodiversity Bonus feature on the upgraded Global Water Tool which was also launched last week in Stockholm. It enables businesses to identify how many of their sites, or potential sites, are in biodiversity hotspots. The data can be viewed via charts, Excel spreadsheets or maps. The Biodiversity Bonus feature was developed with expertise from Conservation International. Further information on EMWIS website.

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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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20- Lebanon: A new General Manager of Operations has been appointed within the Ministry of Energy and Water. He is Mr. Ghassan Baydoun, who automatically becomes also EMWIS National Focal Point in Lebanon. Mr. Baydoun was previously Head of Service to the Court of Auditors. Further information on EMWIS website.

21- Nominations are now open for the 5th Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW). The prize is aimed at recognizing the efforts of scientists, inventors and research organizations around the world in water related fields. PSIPW acknowledges exceptional and innovative work which contributes to the sustainable availability of potable water and the alleviation of the escalating global problem of water scarcity. Last date for submission of applications is January 31, 2012. Further information on EMWIS website.

22- Water and Environmental Sanitation Specialist, SKAT, Switzerland [Deadline 31 October]: The successful applicant will have a strong background in rural and urban water supply and environmental sanitation issues, as well as a working knowledge of integrated water resources management. Further information on EMWIS website.

23- Cowater International is currently seeking a Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist for a Project Director role in its head office in Ottawa, Canada. Application deadline: 15 October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

24- The International Office for Water (OIEAU) looks for a Water Data Analyst - Water Information System "WIS" H / F, with an experience of 3 to 5 years. This position is based in Limoges (France). Further information on EMWIS website.

25- The International Office for Water (OIEAU) feels a great sadness while informing you of the death of Jean Renard, who was president of the International Office for Water during the periond: 1994 to 2007, a position he took over from Henri TORRE former Minister, Senator, former Chairman of the Rhone-Mediterranean-Corsica. Further information on EMWIS website.

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PUBLICATIONS
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26- The final book of the 2nd Istanbul International Water Forum, "An Istanbul Perspective on Regional Water Problems and Search for Solutions" is now released.  The 2^nd Istanbul International Water Forum, held from May 3^rd to May 5^th, 2011, brought together over 4,500 participants from 100 countries around the world and particularly from Central Asia, Middle East and Eastern Europe.  The outcomes of these meetings will provide valuable technical and intellectual input to the 6^th World Water Forum in 2012. Further information on EMWIS website.

27- ENPI CBC Med/ETC Med comparative study on calls for strategic projects: The ENPI CBC Med Programme and the Med Programme (funded under the European Territorial Cooperation objective) launched in the same period (respectively in May and April 2011) calls for strategic projects.  The present comparative study, prepared by the Valencia Liaison Office, provides an analyzis of the eligibility criteria, rules for participation, application process of each Programme calls for strategic projects. Further information on EMWIS website.

28- H2020 investment projects: The first half of 2011 has been particularly fruitful in laying the groundwork for investment projects under the EU-funded initiative Horizon 2020 (H2020), with four feasibility studies currently being prepared or carried out for investment projects in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia. A press release said the Mediterranean Hot Spots Investment Programme – Project Preparation and Implementation Facility (MeHSIP-PPIF), implemented under the H2020 initiative, has also completed the pre-feasibility study stage of another two potential investment projects in Egypt. The third Draft Interim Progress Report was finalised at the end of July and is now available online.  Further information on EMWIS website.

29- "Creating incentives for more effective wastewater reuse in the middle east and north africa": The reuse of treated wastewater is often discussed as an attractive option for addressing water scarcity, yet systematic water recycling remains rare in many arid and semi-arid countries, for example in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This paper addresses how the economics of reuse may contribute to this paradox, emphasizing the role played by unresolved incentive problems with management of the externalities associated with wastewater discharges.  First published in 2011 by The Economic Research Forum (ERF): 21 Al-Sad Al-Aaly StreetDokki, Giza, Egypt. Further information on EMWIS website.

30- Pan-European assessment asks: 'What do we know about water and green economy?' Ministers met in Astana, Kazakhstan, to discuss water issues and greening the economy at the seventh 'Environment for Europe' Ministerial Conference, running from 21 - 23 September 2011. To support the Conference, the European Environment Agency (EEA) launched an innovative Assessment of Assessments report, which recommends ways that environmental information and policy making can be more closely aligned. Further information on EMWIS website.

31- New knowledge publications from GWP released at World Water Week 2011: "Social Equity and Integrated Water Resources Management" & "Integrated Urban Water Management". Further information on EMWIS website.

32- The water-climate-infrastructure nexus: A group of researchers with Conservation International and WWF have co-authored a paper focusing on the water-related threats and opportunities presented by climate change to the development and conservation communities. The authors suggest that the climate change impacts on long-lived water infrastructure for energy production, agriculture, transportation, and supply and sanitation demand a much higher level of coordination between economists, engineers, and ecologists in order to achieve a viable vision of sustainable development and green economies over the coming century. The authors also propose a methodology for integrating effective climate adaptation into long-term water resource management and conservation. Further information on EMWIS website.

33- "International Waters Strategy": GEF intended to have a global institutional impact under the $660million IW scenario by testing management approaches in a joint programmatic approach with the Biodiversity focal area. Further information on EMWIS website.

34- The World Justice Project has just launched the official World Justice Forum III Report: “From Talk to Action.” The World Justice Forum III, held from June 20-23, 2011, in Barcelona, Spain. Further information on EMWIS website.

35- The Guide of Water 2011-2012 in France is now available. This edition, completely redesigned, integrating deep institutional and regulatory changes that have affected the water sector in France in recent months (available in French). Further information on EMWIS website.

36- "The progressive water pricing in France - The solutions in France and around the world": This book describes the various progressive pricing models used in the world and offers a fair pricing system that prevents price discrimination between domestic consumers while promoting water conservation. It thus constitutes the first comprehensive study of a subject that arises more often in many communities: should we change the pricing of water and how? Further information on EMWIS website.

37- Just published "To the Daughters of Water", Collection "Urban water, Water of the fields", L'Harmattan, 2011. This theatre piece is entitled "To the Daughters of water" was written by Françoise Petit-Heulot and is accompanied by illustrations by Catherine and Gilles Mouet Tréhin. Further information on EMWIS website.

38- The Algerian Basin Agency of Sahara (ABHS) has just updateed the content of its Website and put a new design. Further information on EMWIS website.

39- IUCN Water and Nature Initiative has just launched a new website: On the occasion of World Rivers Day, the IUCN Water Programme announced the launch of its new Water and Nature Initiative (WANI) website. The website contains a treasure trove of knowledge on Integrated Water Resource Management and solutions for people and ecosystems. Further information on EMWIS website.

40- The Water-Culture Institute invites you to view the September issue of the Water Ethics Network Newsletter. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
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41- Call for project on "ICT for efficient water resources management: ICT-2011.6.3": Water management enabled by ICT is a new and promising area with the objective to integrate real-time knowledge on demand and supply across water distribution networks and water sources. The work to be done calls for partnerships between ICT equipment providers, software companies and water authorities. Targeted outcomes: ICT-enabled solutions for integrated water resources management (IWRM), involving as key building blocks: innovative demand management systems, decision support systems and data management technologies. The proposed ICT solutions shall involve robust and proven technologies permitting a holistic approach towards IWRM, and possibly include new data management technologies with realtime predictive capability demand forecasting, advanced metering, real-time communication of consumption patterns, adaptive pricing, and/or combined energy and water management schemes. Deadline: 17 January 2012, at 17:00.00 Brussels local time. Further information on EMWIS website.

42- USAID and Gates Foundation announce US$ 17 million WASH for Life programme: USAID and the Gates Foundation have launched a four-year US$ 17 million partnership to seek, test, and scale innovative solutions for water, sanitation, hygiene in developing countries. WASH for Life will be a dedicated window within USAID's Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) programme. Separate proposals must be submitted for each stage, funding from a previous stage is not required to compete for the next stage. Stage 1: Proof of Concept - one year grant up to US$ 100,000 per project. Stage 2: Pilot and Impact Evaluation - 2-3 year grants for up to US$ 1 million per project. Stage 3: Transitioning Projects to Wide-Scale - 3 year grants between from US$ 1 million to US$ 15 million, match funding required. Deadline: Saturday 15 October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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43- As part of a consultation process towards the “Bonn 2011 Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus –Solutions for a Green Economy” conference,  to be held from 16 to 18 November 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

44- Call for abstracts for BALWOIS 2012: Firth International Conference BALWOIS 2012 on Water, Climate and Environment. The Fifth International Scientific Conference BALWOIS 2012 will be held in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia from 28th May to 2nd June 2012. The topics of 5th BALWOIS 2012 International Conference on which abstracts and papers are submitted are : Topic 1: Climate and Hydrology; Topic 2: Water, Environment and Human Activities; Topic 3: Water Related Risks; Topic 4: Integrated Water Resources Management; Topic 5: Eco-hydrology; Topic 6: Computing and Technologies in Water sector; Others. Deadline for submitting an abstract is: 31st of October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

45- WASH Media Awards 2011-2012- Call for paper: The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) welcome entries for the fourth edition of the WASH Media Awards. All entries must be received no later than 1st April 2012 together with a duly filled in entry form. Further information on EMWIS website.

46- Call for papers for TIAC’12 - IV International Conference on Technology Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers / III International Symposium on Coastal Aquifers and Desalination Plants: Deadline for receipt of summary: October 31, 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

47- Call for abstracts for the 2nd International Symposium on the Management and Preservation of Water Resources (CIGPRE 2) to be held in Meknes (Morocco) in the period [04/27/2012 to 04/29/2012]. The deadline for submissions is: 31 October 2011. Further information on EMWIS website.

48- Desalination and the Environment, Barcelona Spain, Extended deadline October 31, 2011: Water and energy are the issues of this millenium. This conference on desalination for the environment to be held in Barcelona (Spain) in 23-26/04/2012 will be devoted to advances towards providing fresh water for all, at affordable cost and at economical energy requirements. With limited and depleting natural sources, desalination can supplement some of the critically lacking amounts of water needed for sustainable development. Its place in the water cycle will be discussed. Further information on EMWIS website.

XX- Just announced: Call for abstracts for the 3rd International Interdisciplinary conference on Predictions for Hydrology, Ecology and Water Resources Management: Water Resources and Changing Global Environment (HydroPredict2012): The 3rd International Interdisciplinary conference HydroPredict2012 is devoted to better understanding of complex interactions between water resources and changing global environment. This conference will take place in Vienna (Austria) next year: 24-27/09/2012. The deadline for abstract submission is 1 February 2012. Further information on EMWIS website.

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49- [2011/10/30 - 2011/11/03] ACWUA 4th training course: "Planning and Design of Wastewater Treatment Plants", Amman, Jordan: Under the Water Utilities Management Capacity Building Program (WUM-CBP), the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) announced the 4th training course titled “Planning and Design of Wastewater Treatment Plants”. This course aims at familiarizing the wastewater engineers with the proper and suitable wastewater treatment plants planning and design issues. Deadline for applications: 16th October, 2011. Early entries have first priority. Further information on EMWIS website.

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