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20 Mar 2023
Niger confirms intention to Accede to Helsinki Convention
On the 2nd of March, the government of Niger confirmed its intention to acceded to the United Nations Convention on the Protection and use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes – otherwise known as the Helsinki Convention. This announcement follows a stakeholder workshop jointly hosted by the Ministry of Hydraulics and Sanitation of Niger and the Secretariat of the Convention...
14 Mar 2023
New scale for Atmospheric Rivers could be applied globally
A new study shows that it is possible to apply a five-point scale to what climatologists refer to as ‘atmospheric rivers’. Using such a scale could assist early warning systems and underpin preventive action for extreme weather events. Recently, more and more studies have pointed to the importance of atmospheric rivers in transporting moisture across the globe...
13 Mar 2023
Cyclone Freddy makes second landfall
On the 13th of March, Reuters reported a death toll of 60 people in Mozambique and Malawi from cyclone Freddy, which returned to land after it had reached the coast of Madagascar on the 21st of February. At least 6 casualties fell in the Mozambican coastal town of Quelimane, while in Malawi casualties were reported in the townships of Chilobwe and Ndirande in Blantyre, Malawi’s second city...
10 Mar 2023
Decentralised sanitation system can reduce pollution in Nairobi says UN-Habitat official
Effective management of sanitation and wastewater will lessen the pollution load on local water resources in Nairobi and other urban areas of Kenya. The growing challenge in dense urban settlements, the rapidly increasing urbanisation rate of 4.5 per cent per annum and rising settlement densities in low-income urban and peri-urban areas are piling pressure on the urgent need for sanitation technologies and management systems that are robust and affordable...
10 Mar 2023
Resilient Cities Network launches water resilience program ahead of UN Water Conference
Water resilience is becoming an increasingly important topic for urban centers around the world. With climate change exacerbating water-related challenges such as floods, droughts, and water scarcity, cities are looking for ways to build more resilient water systems. In response to this growing need, the Resilient Cities Network has launched a water resilience program ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference be held on March 22-24, in New York City...
10 Mar 2023
Call for action: invest in water security to reduce financial risks
Investing financial resources in nature based solutions for water is an essential means to avoid financial risk. In February, the Carbon Disclosure Project sent an open letter to governments with the message that water insecurity poses a significant financial risk to the global economy. They point to the 2022 assessment by the Stockholm Resilience Centre that the safe limits for freshwater have been transgressed, posing a threat to life support systems...
9 Mar 2023
Experts warn that UN Water Conference does not build sufficiently on Mar del Plata
A recent article by prominent water experts warns that the upcoming UN Water Conference does not build sufficiently on lessons from its highly successful predecessor, the UN Water Conference at Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1977. The article , published in the International Journal of Water Resources Development and authored by world renowned experts, Professors Asit Biswas and Cecilia Tortajada, reviews the preparations and the lasting impact of Mar del Plata, Argentina in 1977, and warns that the upcoming UN Water Conference does not build sufficiently on lessons from its successful predecessor...
8 Mar 2023
Global Water Treatment Market to Grow Rapidly
A new publication on trends in the water market has estimated that the global water treatment market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of some 7% per year in the period 2023-2028. In 2022, the water treatment market was valued at US $ 303 billion, and it is projected to grow to US $ 460 billion by 2028...
8 Mar 2023
Vanuatu’s fight for climate justice goes to the Hague
105 of the 193 member states have supported Vanautu’s call to request that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) provide clarification on the obligations of states to protect the climate system and other parts of the environment the environment for present and future generations. Clarity is also sought from the ICJ on the legal consequences under these obligations for States which, by their acts and omissions, have caused significant harm to the climate system and other parts of the environment for Small Island States as well as present and future generations suffering the consequences of climate change...
8 Mar 2023
Vanuatu’s fight for climate justice goes to the Hague
105 of the 193 member states have supported Vanautu’s call to request that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) provide clarification on the obligations of states to protect the climate system and other parts of the environment the environment for present and future generations. Clarity is also sought from the ICJ on the legal consequences under these obligations for States which, by their acts and omissions, have caused significant harm to the climate system and other parts of the environment for Small Island States as well as present and future generations suffering the consequences of climate change...
8 Mar 2023
The UN Water Conference and International Water Law
Tobias Schmitz: In a recent article in the International Journal of Water Resources Development, Professors Asit Biswas and Cecilia Tortajada argue that the upcoming UN Water Conference has not been built sufficiently on the legacy of the last UN Water Conference held in Mar del Plata in 1977. To what extent do you think that the UN 2023 Water Conference is building sufficiently on the legacy of International Water Law since 1977? Dr Mara Tignino: Thank you...
4 Mar 2023
Progress made in documenting damage to water resources and infrastructure in Ukraine
A year into the war in Ukraine, progress is being made in documenting the damage to water resources and infrastructure, although many gaps still remain. The Ukrainian government has requested the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to assist in the assessment of environmental damage in the country, and already it is estimated that 618 critical industrial or infrastructure sites have been damaged or destroyed...