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10 Oct 2023
Global urban growth in high flood risk areas outpaces settlement in safe areas
In an article published in the journal Nature this month, researchers have noted that human settlements are expanding into hazardous flood zones faster than in safe areas. The researchers analysed statistics on urban settlement patterns between 1985 and 2015 and compared this to the evolution of flood exposure of settlements over time...
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
China: more floods and fears for food security
Flooding hit southern China again in September. On September 8, heavy rains hit Hong Kong and southern China. Over 600 mm of rain fell overnight, representing a quarter of the city's average annual rainfall. The Hong Kong Observatory said it had recorded 158.1 millimeters (6.2 inches) of rain in an hour, the highest one-hour record since records began in 1884...
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...
10 Oct 2023
Second round of talks between Egypt Ethiopia and Sudan on Grand Renaissance Dam inconclusive
On the 23rd of September Ethiopia announced that it had commenced a second round of trilateral negotiations between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which has been a source of conflict between the countries. However, this second round of negotiations ended on the 25th of September without any conclusive results...
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...
9 Oct 2023
Water in COP 28: An Interview with AGWA’s Ingrid Timboe
Tobias Schmitz: I wanted to have a discussion with you about the role of water in the upcoming COP 28. I believe that the host country, the United Arab Emirates, has identified three priority areas to discuss cooperation on water, i.e., restoring freshwater ecosystems, enhancing urban water resilience and boosting water resilient food systems...
2 Oct 2023
Cauvery Water Authority orders Karnataka to release water for Tamil Nadu
On the 27th of September the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) ordered the State of Karnataka to release 85 m³ of water per second to downstream Tamil Nadu for 18 days, starting from September 28. This decision is the latest development in a water dispute between Indian federal states that dates back more than a century, when both Mysore (now Karnataka) and Madras (now Tamil Nadu) proposed using the water of the Cauvery River for respectively dam construction and irrigation development...
28 Sep 2023
Mounting water conflict between Dominican Republic and Haiti
On the 11th of September the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader suspended visas for Haitians and threatened to close the border between the two countries following a water conflict between the two countries. By the 18th of September the Dominican Republic indeed shut all land and sea borders with Haïti...
18 Sep 2023
Libyans briefly united in response to deadly floods in Derna
Libyans, divided and ruled by two rival governments since 2014, have united briefly in response to the disaster caused by storm Daniel in early September. The storm produced 8 months of rain in 24 hours and led to the collapse of two dams, resulting in a wall of water rushing through the city of Derna in the early morning of the 11th of September, creating Africa’s deadliest flood on record...
12 Sep 2023
Water utilities request transparency over discharge permits as Meuse River quality deteriorates
The quality of the Maas / Meuse River, shared by France, Belgium and the Netherlands has deteriorated further due to the discharge of harmful chemicals. Over the past year, concentrations above the permitted levels have been measured for 79 substances. In 11% of all measurements of water quality along the river, pollution levels were found that were above the maximum set by European norms...
7 Sep 2023
Preserving Precious Ecosystems: The Urgent Need for Wetland Conservation
Wetlands, which are sometimes overlooked in favor of more beautiful vistas, are essential to the health of our planet. Since they filter water, sustain biodiversity, and moderate climate change, these unique ecosystems require our attention and protection. As the global community grapples with environmental concerns, the value of wetland ecosystems has come into sharper focus, with examples from Africa and elsewhere demonstrating their importance...