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9 Nov 2023
Farmers protest against Mexico’s intended release of Rio Grande water to United States
Farmers in Chihuahua State in Mexico have approached the government to reserve water for irrigation rather than releasing it in order to comply with a treaty obligation to share water with the United States. In 2020, protestors occupied the site of the La Boquilla Dam to protest an impending release of some 36 million m³ of water from the reservoir...
9 Nov 2023
Mississippi River drops to historic low, affecting water supplies and trade
The Mississippi River is experiencing historical levels of drought for the second year in a row, with water levels at a record low of 3.5 metres below average at Memphis on the 10th of October. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 98% of the Mississippi River Basin experienced some level of drought conditions during September and October...
2 Nov 2023
Qatar Charity and UNOCHA to provide water and sanitation to displaced Yemenis
In October, Qatar Charity signed an agreement with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Yemen to provide water and sanitation services and improve access to health services for internally displaced persons in Yemen. The project is valued at U.S. $ 1.35 million and will be implemented in the governorates of Taiz and Ibb in the southwest of the country...
30 Oct 2023
Water Integrity Network initiates petition to stop weaponization of water
On October 20th, the Water Integrity Network initiated a petition to the United Nations through change.org to stop the weaponization of water in all forms of conflict. The ‘weaponisation’ of water is referred to by the authors Mihir and Emin as the use of water to gain leverage over an adversary : this can be achieved through the contamination of water, through flooding, through the restriction of access or through the destruction of water infrastructure...
25 Oct 2023
World Food Day 2023 dedicated to Water – Food Interlinkages
World Food Day, observed annually on the 16th of October, is dedicated to raising awareness on global hunger and to stimulating collective action around food production and food security. Water was central to the theme for 2023, which was:” Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.”. In its publication in honour of World Food Day, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations focused on one key aspect of water, i...
20 Oct 2023
Dutch Blue Bond is the latest in a trend in sustainable water investments
On the 17th of October, the Netherlands announced that it had taken out a ‘blue bond’ worth € 5 billion which will go towards efforts to mitigate flood risks. The government had hoped to raise between €4 and €5 billion, but the Dutch financial magazine Financieel Dagblad reported that € 18,3 billion in potential investment had been registered by investors, and thus the government took out the full loan of € 4,98 billion...
19 Oct 2023
Rivers and water systems as weapons and casualties of the Ukraine war
In an article published in late September in Earth’s Future , researchers Peter Gleick, Viktor Vyshnevskyi and Serhii Shevchuk provide an overview of the consequences of the Russia – Ukraine war for the main rivers and water infrastructure in Ukraine. The article contributes to the Water Conflict Chronology , an open-source online database that tracks water conflicts around the world from ancient to modern times...
12 Oct 2023
Water crisis in Gaza as supplies run critically low
Through a report shared with the Global Observatory on Water and Peace, The Water Diplomat has been made aware of the daily struggle for water that the citizens of Gaza experience Ahmad used to be based in the north of Gaza but had to move south due to bombardments which led to the halting of water supplies in his neighborhood...
10 Oct 2023
Challenges plague the UK's privatized water industry
The United Kingdom, known for its ample rainfall, is grappling with a water crisis that threatens its essential water supply services. Multiple articles highlight the precarious state of the UK's privatized water industry, with a specific focus on Thames Water, the primary supplier to over a fifth of the UK's population...
10 Oct 2023
Urban Water Catalyst Initiative about to commence implementation
The Urban Water Catalyst Initiative (UWCI), an initiative announced at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York in March this year, is on the point of supporting its first utilities. The initiative, spearheaded by the German government and supported by the government of the Netherlands, seeks to be a ‘game changer’ in financing a water secure and climate resilient future...
10 Oct 2023
UN Special Rapporteur focuses on water and ecosystems at 54th session of Human Rights Council
"In a world often referred to as the 'blue planet,' it remains astounding that approximately 2 billion people still lack guaranteed access to safe drinking water," the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation, Mr. Pedro Arrojo-Agudo said in his opening remarks at the 54th session of the Human Rights Council held recently in Geneva...
9 Oct 2023
Panama Canal experiences lowest water levels in history
One of the world's largest waterways, the Panama Canal is currently experiencing its lowest water levels in history, according to data from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Experts attribute the extreme drought to the El Niño climate phenomenon. This phenomenon causes the Pacific jet stream to move southwards and spread eastwards during the winter season, bringing heavy rainfall to South America...