ΑΡΧΕΙΟ ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΕΩΝ

Event

Title:: MWIS FLASH - DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009
When:: 15.10.2008
Category:: Αρχείο Ανακοινώσεων

Description

MWIS Flash - December 2008/ January 2009
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: http://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)

- EMWIS wish you a happy new year 2009 -

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In this issue N°65/66 (http://www.emwis.net/thematicdirs/eflash/flash66)
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HEADLINE
1- Ministerial Conference on Water: an ambitious calendar for 2009
IN BRIEF
2- The Mediterranean at the 5th World Water Forum
3- The WWC and the EMWIS signed a partnership agreement
4- ARLEM brings together local authorities from northern and southern Mediterranean
5- The MEDA Water Programme Substantially boosted Regional Cooperation in Water Management
6- Horizon 2020 Capacity Building Sub-Group Meeting
7- The UN General Assembly adopted the draft articles for law on transboundary aquifers
8- Top UN Leader Calls for Creation of the Right to Water
9- The First Arab Water Forum mobilized arab water stakeholders to address water challenges
10- Arab Countries need $200 billion in water-related infrastructure
11- The pan-African ministerial conference pledged to eradicate hunger & poverty in Africa
12- Egypt, Israel voice support for Red-Dead canal project
13- Tunisia: Maghreb project on oases development launched
14- Morocco: AfDB Approved 10th Drinking Water Supply Project
15- Morocco: Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture
16- Palestine: Water supply & sewage system "collapsing" in Gaza
17- Turkey: Royal Haskoning wins large irrigation project
18- France: Cemagref & Onema unite their efforts
19- Greece: EC takes legal action over lack of waste water treatment, waste landfill problems
20- Cyprus: Varying Water Prices
21- Germany: Iron as a new water "pollutant" in Central Germany
22- EC approves proposed acquisition of Hägglunds Drives by Robert Bosch
23- Establishing Network on Water Stress Mitigation
24- ESA Starts to Make Data Available for GMES
25- Earth Observation: spotlight on important projects - e-SOTER
26- Network links researchers in Middle East and Europe
NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
PUBLICATIONS
CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
CALL FOR PAPERS
TRAINING
EVENTS
BRIEF EMWIS SITE MAP
CONTACT US / COMMENTS
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HEADLINE
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1- The guidelines for the development of a Strategy for Water in the Mediterranean, permitting the challenges of climate change and its impacts to be met and tackled, were adopted at the Ministerial Conference on Water held in Jordan on December 22. This Strategy will make it possible to handle problems exceeding the means of action of any single country or organisation. The Ministers, according to the press release on the meeting, "drew the attention of governance bodies of the Union for the Mediterranean, in view of the rapid development of new equipment projects in the domain of water, consistent with the Strategy. From this perspective, an initial list of potential projects has already been identified and will be discussed as from January 2009.". The 'major contribution' of civil society partners, who met on December 21, was also commended by the Ministers in the 8-page Declaration adopted. The planning is very ambitious with the 1st projects to be launched by the end of 2009 and the strategy to be adopted during the 1st semester 2010. In 2009, the main steps are as follow:

January 2009: nomination of the national water experts ("composed of governments designated representatives of national authorities in charge of water policy of Euro-Mediterranean countries having the capacity to take decisions (e.g. Water Directors)")
February 2009, 2nd water week of Beirut (Lebanon) with a meeting of the water directors from South and Eastern Mediterranean Countries
March 2009, during the World Water Forum in Istanbul,
- 1st meeting of the water experts group of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) to prepare the Med water Strategy and select a first set of 3 to 5 projects
- High level political round table opened to the civil society to contribute to the Med water Strategy
- Side events to present potential projects
End March 2009, Ministerial conference on Sustainable Development of the UfM, planned in Monaco to approve projects that should start in 2009
End 2009, second meeting of the water experts group to finalise the strategy and prepare a 2nd list of projects.

Further information on EMWIS website. See also EMWIS link.

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IN BRIEF (Full news)
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2- During the 5th World Water Forum to be held in Istanbul, 15-22 March 2009, the Mediterranean area will feature in numerous sessions with a large number of expected contributions for the future regional water strategy. In addition to the special sessions dedicated to water issues in the Union for the Mediterranean (see headlines), three regional and sub-regional processes will cover the full diversity of the region: the Mediterranean as such, the MENA/Arab countries and the in/around Turkey. From the point of view of knowledge and data sharing, the theme 6 on "Education, Knowledge and Capacity Development" will be of particular relevance for the EMWIS community. Further information on EMWIS website.

3- The World Water Council (WWC) and the Euro-Mediterranean Information System on know-how in the Water sector (EMWIS) agreed last 16th December to collaborate for improving the collection and dissemination of information and documentation on observation, monitoring and evaluation processes related to the water sector within their respective partnerships. This 4 years agreement (2008-2012) includes in particular collaboration on the Water Monitoring Alliance of the WWC based on EMWIS activities relatives to water information systems and the promotion of regional water observation mechanism concept and the process developed by the EMWIS as a best practice initiative for possible duplication in other regions, notably in the framework of the World Water Forum in Istanbul in 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.

4- The Assembly of Mediterranean regions and cities (ARLEM) is expected to be inaugurated officially next May in Brussels . This new organization, which operates on the model of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly to involve the local authorities in projects run by the Union for the Mediterranean. The city of Barcelona (Spain) has been chosen to host the headquarters of the political secretariat of the ARLEM. Further information on EMWIS website

5- The MEDA Water Programme has given an enormous boost to regional cooperation between different actors in the field of water management, says its technical coordinator Gert Soer, replying to questions from the EuroMed Info Centre. Thanks to this Programme, funded by EuropeAid's Regional Programme, "governments have started reevaluating local water management and placed it higher on their development agendas." The MEDA Water Programme was executed by 69 different organizations in participating countries, 20 NGOs, 23 universities, 16 research institutes and 9 government agencies. As for how it has benefited citizens in the Mediterranean in the six years it has been operating, Gert Soer gives some examples: "Through increase of water supply, solution of rural sanitation problems, improvement of agricultural outputs and a more effective spending of government money directed at solving problems of the rural population." Further information on EMWIS website.

6- The Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises participated to the Horizon 2020 Capacity Building Sub-Group Meeting which took place in Rome on December 9th 2008. This meeting was organised by the European Commission within the Initiative Horizon 2020 and aimed at drafting a road map relating to the work programme adopted at Barcelona concerning the three priority areas: industrial emission, municipal waste and urban waste water. For Horizon 2020, the focus should be on measures directly related to the aim of de-pollution with a particular attention to measures linked to pollution reduction projects or monitoring. Capacity building should be implemented through institutions, organisations or networks active in the Mediterranean. A core group was identified for the drafting of the work programme. It includes: BUSINESSMED, UNEP/MAP, CP/RAC and MIO. Further information on EMWIS website.

7- A draft resolution following the recommendation of the International Law Commission (ILC) was submitted to the General Assembly of the UN, and was adopted on11 December 2008. It is Resolution A/RES/63/124. The draft articles are intended to offer States a framework for their agreements on transboundary aquifers. They are divided into four parts: Introduction, General principles, Protection, preservation and management, Miscellaneous provisions. The text is available at http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/reports/2008/2008report.htm (Chapter Shared Natural Resources, in all UN languages). Further information on EMWIS website

8- United Nations General Assembly President, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, called on countries to establish the right to water for their people on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This historic call is being met with praise from Maude Barlow, a leading water rights advocate and expert. To protect the right to water, governments must adopt measures to restrain practices that deny equal access to water, pollute source water, or unsustainably extract water resources. Further information on EMWIS website.

9- The 1st Arab Water Forum (AWF) was held in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), in conjunction with two other big events: the 3rd International Conference on Water Resources and Arid Environments, and the awards ceremony of the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water. The Arab Water Council (AWC) is set to organize Arab Water Forums (AWF) every three years prior to the World Water Forums to become the most important inclusive water-related event at the regional level. The objective of the AWFs is to mobilize all water stakeholders in the region, to identify priorities of water-related issues and define solutions that can successfully address regional and country specific water challenges. On the other hand, the AWF focussed on presenting and discussing the progress of the MENA/Arab Region's preparatory processes towards the 5th World Water Forum (WWF5), for which the AWC acts as the regional coordinator. The Water Demand Initiative for the Middle East and North Africa (WaDImena) presented progress and findings of its applied research and pilot projects at the AWF. Further information on EMWIS website. See also this EMWIS link.

10- The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) estimates that Arab countries may need to invest up to $200 billion in water-related infrastructure over the next ten years, in order to meet the rapidly growing demand for water and sanitation services. An estimated 50 million people lack access to safe drinking water in the Arab world and 97 million lack access to adequate sanitation. IDB sees a greater role for the private sector in meeting demand for water and sanitation infrastructure services over the next decade. To date, IDB has provided more than $2.5 billion of assistance in the water sector to its 56 member countries. IDB is a founding member of the Cairo-based Arab Water Council and the Arab Water Academy. Further information on EMWIS website. See also EMWIS link.

11- In a final Declaration, the conference, on Water for Energy and Agriculture in Africa: the Challenges of Climate Change (held last 15-17 December 2008 in Sirte, Libya), noted that water is a key resource to economic and social development as well as to hunger and poverty eradication in Africa, and that food and energy security are prerequisites for the development of Africa's human capital. The Conference, which brought together ministers from 53 African countries, also recognised that the challenges faced by the continent concerning food security, achieving the Millennium Development Goals, increased energy demand and combating climate change required all countries to move together. On climate change, which is said will likely have a severe impact across Africa, the conference agreed to foster research and development of renewable energy and agriculture in Africa in order to increase resilience and adaptation to climate change. In conclusion, the conference also welcomed a proposal by FAO to convene a World Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2009 to agree on the rapid and definitive eradication of hunger from the planet through improved governance of world food security and by finding $30 billion a year to invest in water and rural infrastructures and in increasing agricultural productivity in the developing world. Further information on EMWIS website.

12- During the Ministerial conference held in the Dead Sea last 22nd December, Egypt and Israel voiced support for the Red-Dead canal project, which seeks to address Jordan's water and energy challenges. Several countries have contributed $15 million for the multipurpose Red-Dead canal project's feasibility study and environmental assessment. French company Coyne et Bellier is currently carrying out the feasibility study for the project, while the British firm Environmental Resources Management is undertaking the environmental assessment. The study is also including the assessment of alternative solutions. The project is expected to provide Jordan with 500 million cubic metres (mcm) of water annually. The Red-Dead canal project is part of international efforts to save the Dead Sea, which has been shrinking at the rate of one metre per year, largely due to the diversion of water from the Jordan River for agricultural and industrial use. If implemented, it would involve the construction of a pipeline that would pump around two billion cubic metres of water from the Red Sea to a desalination unit near the Dead Sea. Half the amount will be desalinated, supplying the main urban centres of Jordan and the West Bank, while the rest would be channelled to the Dead Sea. The second stage of the around $4.35 billion project would involve taking advantage of the natural slope between the Red Sea level in Aqaba and that of the Dead Sea (400 metres below sea level) to produce hydroelectricity. Further information on EMWIS website.

13- A project on oases development in the countries of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) has been launched. This project aims to promote the skills of civil society in the oasis in order to participate in the process of sustainable development of oases and, through the implementation of projects for the sustainable management of seeds, the creation of farming and development of unused land, in addition to sustainable water management. Further information on EMWIS website

14- The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved US$ 97.2 million (33.84 million Euros and 53.34 million dollars) loan to finance Morocco's 10th Drinking Water Supply Project, bringing the Bank Group's overall commitment in the country to US$ 5.64 billion for 93 operations since the Bank started operations in the country in 1970. The project will enhance and improve the quantity and quality of water supply for approximately three (3) million people as from 2010 and enable the National Drinking Water Authority (ONEP), as producer and distributor, and the autonomous state-owned companies as distributors, to meet the demand of the inhabitants of the area that are projected to reach five (5) million by 2030. Designed to meet the priority needs adopted by ONEP in its 2008-2010 Investment Plan, the project comprises five (5) operations to reinforce the drinking water production and supply system for areas where the supply systems will be saturated as from 2010. Further information on EMWIS website

15- A study conducted by FAO together with the World Bank, the Morocco Ministry of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries and several other national institutions, assessed the impact of climate change on Moroccan agriculture toward the end of the 21st century. The detailed study covers fifty crops, major agroecological zones, and several climate change scenarios. The first results of the study on the projected future agricultural production focus on: Agricultural adaptation capacity, Uncertainties related to methodology, Future availability of crop varieties with higher water use efficiencies. Further information on EMWIS website.

16- The UN has warned that power networks were down in large parts of the Gaza Strip on 4 January, with hospitals relying on generators. Without power for pumps, 70 percent of Gazans are estimated to be without tap water. The Israeli Gisha organisation, an NGO, said seven of the 12 electricity lines in the enclave (the 12 lines normally supply about 70 percent of Gaza's electricity) were down, and warned that the lack of power was causing sewage to flood into populated areas and farmland. There continued to be a risk of sustained flooding. On the other hand, and due to the current situation in the Gaza Strip that was imposed by the Israeli military operations since Saturday 27/12/2008, the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility "CMWU" announced its inability to (failure) maintain its services in both the water sector in terms of production and distribution and wastewater sector in terms of collection and discharging in Gaza Strip governorates. Hence, the CMWU appeals all international humanitarian aid organizations allover the world for quick and prompt intervention and involvement with the Israeli side to allow the CMWU for providing and affording the minimum basic water and wastewater services and restoring the operational capability of its water and wastewater facilities to avoid further serious catastrophic humanitarian, health, and environmental consequences under this hard situation in Gaza Strip. Further information on EMWIS website. See also the report "Policies of Denial: Lack of Access to Water in the West Bank" released by the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) announced under publications in this issue of EMWIS news flash.

17- Royal Haskoning has been commissioned by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) to develop a large irrigation area in southwest Turkey. The project covers an area of 31,000 hectares and among other things includes some main channels, pressure pipes and a large pumping station. Royal Haskoning is also looking into whether it is feasible to develop the new irrigation area further using public private partnership. The project is part of the larger GAP project, which is focusing on doubling the amount of irrigated agricultural land in Turkey. This will mark the first definite result of the memorandum of understanding entered into by Turkey and the Netherlands in May 2001. The consultancy work that Royal Haskoning will be undertaking will take two years with a total budget for implementation circa ? 250 million. Further information on EMWIS website.

18- The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) sets ambitious goals for the preservation and restoration of inland water of Europe up to 2015. To support the water policy, ONEMA, the French National Office for Water & Aquatic environments, and Cemagref, a research institute on sustainable water management and territories, combine their skills. Besides their partnership on research and expertise (a program of more than ? 7 million will be carried out in 2009), they created a combined team dedicated to hydroecology of rivers. The objective is to ensure an even closer relationship between research and action to better take into account the needs of rivers managers and to make the knowledge produced by research. Further information on EMWIS website

19- The European Commission is taking legal action over two cases where Greece is violating EU legislation designed to protect human health and the environment against pollution from waste water and solid waste. In one case the Commission is launching an infringement procedure against Greece for not putting in place the required infrastructure for collecting and treating waste water in 12 towns and cities despite having already been condemned by the European Court of Justice for this failure. If Greece does not rectify the situation rapidly, the next step might be a financial penalty for Greece. In the other case, the Commission is sending Greece a final warning over problems with the operation of a new landfill which constitute a violation of EU waste legislation. Further information on EMWIS website.

20- The Ministry of Interior Affairs on Cyprus is considering the option of increasing water rates in some areas, including Limassol and Larnaca, where water has been charged less than in other districts. The aim is both to streamline water prices throughout the island and comply with an EU Directive which asks local water boards to adjust prices by 2010 to reflect water service provision costs. At present, local village councils and water boards have discretion in adjusting water rates, which has resulted in an unfair situation whereby water charges vary depending on where one lives. The tri-monthly water bill for an average household (estimated at 45m²) would be ?42 in Nicosia, ?31 in Larnaca, ?16 in Limassol, ?27 in neighbouring Pareklissia and a staggering ?225 in Pissouri. Punitive water rates were introduced by some village councils in the summer as a measure against excessive consumption. Further information on EMWIS website.

21- The River Pleisse, the major tributary of the River Weisse Elster in the Central-German industrial region, used to be excessively polluted mainly by industrial wastewater from coal-processing, textile, and leather industries before the political change in 1989. Since then, anthropogenic pollution has significantly decreased due to close-down of industrial plants and upgrading of wastewater treatment plants. Nevertheless, the water in the lower course of the river has remained turbid and brown. This causes concern in the city of Leipzig, where efforts are made to reconvert the river branches and mill races that had been canalized underground into open rivers and canals. The cause of this phenomenon is groundwater pumping in the large brown-coal open-cast mining district south of the city. The total iron content of the river water is influenced by the amount of suspended solids in the water and by the concentration of iron on these particles. It depends on direct inputs as well as on the hydrological situation. Further information on EMWIS website.

22- The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Hägglunds Drives AB, a Swedish manufacturer of hydraulic drives systems and motors, by Robert Bosch GmbH of Germany. After examining the operation, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it. Further information on EMWIS website.

23- The AquaStress Final event on 22 and 23 January 2009 in Lisbon (Portugal) is focusing on "Water Stress Mitigation in Europe and Neighbouring Countries". The event will include an International Conference and a Stakeholders Workshop. The overall objective of the event is to present to a wide audience the AquaStress project results and achievements and to establish a common stakeholder-driven Network on Water Stress Mitigation (NETWSM) in Europe and neighbouring countries. The invited guests to the event include representatives of the European Commission, the UN World Water Assessment Program - UNESCO, the Arab Water Council, local stakeholders from both the private and public sectors and other distinguished experts and water professionals. Further information on EMWIS website.

24- ESA, as coordinator of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) Space Component, has launched a new website through which data for GMES Services can be obtained. The GMES Space Component Data Access web portal is now providing data from ESA satellites and ESA Third Party Missions. In the next months, data from more than 25 other European and non-European satellites contributing to GMES will be made available. This event marks the start of pre-operations for the GMES Space Component. Further information on EMWIS website.

25- Soil and terrain information is needed for many interpretations for example in the field of agriculture, environment, watershed management, infrastructure, etc. but available data are often inaccessible, incomplete, or out of date. The Group on Earth Observations - GEO plans a Global Earth Observing System and, within this framework, the e-SOTER project addresses the felt need for a global soil and terrain database. As the European contribution to a Global Soil Observing System, e-SOTER will create a web-based regional pilot platform to deliver soil information that can be used directly by policy makers and managers; it will also make available the methods and techniques that have been used to create the information. The project e-SOTER is a collaborative research project of 14 partners in Europe, China and Morocco, with European Union funding through the FP7 mechanism. Further information on EMWIS website

26- A communication network has been launched that will enable researchers from the Middle East and North Africa to link directly into European research networks. The network, EUMEDCONNECT2, aims to serve the scientific and medical research communities across the southern Mediterranean and reduce the digital disparity. The network started operating in November 2008 after the second EU-Med event entitled 'e-Infrastructures in the Mediterranean', held in Amman, Jordan. The European Commission contributed around US$5 million, with a similar amount contributed by the Mediterranean partner countries - Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia. EUMEDCONNECT2 offers a direct link to the pan-European research and education communication network (GEANT2), enabling Arab researchers to collaborate with their European counterparts. The network will also support environmental and climatic research by providing access to remote databases with climate-related observational and geographic information system (GIS) data and facilitating exchange of huge datasets. Further information on EMWIS website.

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NOMINATIONS and VACANCIES
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27- Mr Christodoulos Artemis, Director of the Water Development Department (WDD) since 2001, is on pre-retirement leave until 28/2/2009 when he officially retires. Further information on EMWIS website.

28- The Global Water Partnership (GWP) announced the appointment of Dr. Ania Grobicki as the GWP Executive Secretary, effective March 11, 2009. Dr. Grobicki succeeds Emilio Gabrielli who left in May 2008 to take a private sector position in Australia. Martin Walshe, GWP Deputy Executive Secretary, is serving as Acting Executive Secretary. Further information on EMWIS website

29- IUCN elects new president, Council: Members of IUCN celebrated on 13 October with the announcement of their new President and Council. Ashok Khosla from India will take over as IUCN President from Valli Moosa, who took up the post four years ago at the previous Congress in Bangkok. He was earlier a director in the United Nations Environment Programme. Further information on EMWIS website

30- New Staff have been nominated at the IUCN: Majdi Salameh as Business & Biodiversity Officer, Moath Hasan as Finance & Administration Officer, Mufleh Abbadi as Zarqa River Restoration Project Coordinator, Sameera Rifai as Palestine Project Office Manager of the REWARD Programme, and Buthaina Mizyed as Monitoring and Social Research Coordinator of the REWARD Programme. Further information on EMWIS website

31- Deadline for Turkish Republic Prime Minister's Water Prize was extended: The deadline of the Prize which will be awarded to one Turkish and one foreign journalist for their excellence on published works related to water issues, was extended to 15 February 2009. Further information on EMWIS website

32- The 2009 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in sustainable development will open for submissions in January 2009. The call for initial expressions of interest will open in early January 2009 and close in mid-March 2008. Winners will be announced at the UN Commission for Sustainable Development in New York in May 2009. From that date, details will be available at www.seedinit.org. Further information on EMWIS website.

33- SwissRe invites applications for the International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management 2009: The Award worth USD 150 000 is an internationally recognized prize for leadership in implementing the principles of sustainability in watershed management, and is granted to one or several projects selected by an international jury. The prize money is open to NGOs, private, scientific and public institutions. As the world's leading and most diversified global reinsurer, Swiss Re offers financial services products that enable risk taking essential to enterprise and progress. Deadline: 31 May 2009. Further information on EMWIS website

34- Action Against Hunger (ACF) is present in the Palestinian Territory since September 2002. ACF provides the most vulnerable with access to sufficient water and food. ACF builds or rehabilitates national water infrastructure and supports small and medium sized farmers to improve their agricultural potential. ACF is looking for a Water and Sanitation Coordinator, to work in the Palestine Territories. Application deadline: 30 Jan 2009. Further information on EMWIS website
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PUBLICATIONS
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35- The Algerian legislation in the water sector is now available in an English translated version provided by EMWIS National focal Point in Algeria (the Agence de Bassin Hydrographique Constantinois -Seybousse - Mellegue). Further information on EMWIS website.

36- The SMAP RMSU team has published the reports of the National Meetings on "Environmental Information Exchange and Reporting Mechanisms in the Mediterranean" held in Damascus on the 13th October and in Rabat on the 15th of October 2008. The complete documentation of the four events organised by the SMAP RMSU during 2008 is available for download on the SMAP Clearing House. Further information on EMWIS website.

37- The EC Decision on WFD (Water Framework Directive) Intercalibration results has been published in the Official Journal of the EU. Further information on EMWIS website.

38- The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) has released a report "Policies of Denial: Lack of Access to Water in the West Bank". The report documents violations of the right to water and sanitation resulting from Israeli policy and practice in the occupied West Bank, particularly in relation to lack of Palestinian access to water resources and water and sanitation services and facilities. The report calls for Israel, as an occupying power, to assume responsibility for ensuring that the right to water and sanitation, and other internationally recognized human rights, are respected, protected and fulfilled for Palestinians in the West Bank, and not to obstruct the Palestinian Authority from carrying out its duties and responsibilities in relation to the water and wastewater sector. Further information on EMWIS website.

39- Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) has just finalized their EU LIFE III supported project called "Pro Aquifer". The project has dealt with protecting the most important shared water resource between Israelis and Palestinians, the 'Mountain Aquifer', in 2 pilot communities, one Israeli and one Palestinian. FoEME produced 2 publications entitled "Protecting Trans-boundary Groundwater Sources from Pollution: Guidelines for Israeli Municipalities and Umm el Fahem Case Study" , in both Hebrew and English, and another one entitled "Protecting Trans-boundary Groundwater Sources from Pollution: Guidelines for Palestinian Municipalities and Tulkarem Case Study" in both Arabic and English. Further information on EMWIS website.

40- "Modelling environmental change in Europe: towards a model inventory (SEIS/Forward) Document Actions": This technical report provides a non-exhaustive overview of modelling tools currently available to simulate future environmental change at a European scale. Modelling tools have become an important cornerstone of environmental assessments, and play an important role in providing the data and indicators needed to describe the state of, trends in and prospects of the environment. This review identifies gaps in the availability, accessibility and applicability of current modelling tools, and stresses the need to further stimulate the development and application of environmental forecasting techniques. Further information on EMWIS website

41- Publication of two briefing paper by Chiara Armeni on the right to water in Italy and on the right to water in Belgium. Further information on EMWIS website

42- The final output of the IV International Symposium on Transboundary Waters Management held in October was the "Thessaloniki Statement" which was jointly prepared and approved by all participants, is available online. Further information on EMWIS website.

43- The Geopolitics of desalination article was published in the Bulletin of Marine Studies, No. 14, "Story of Water", March 2008. Further information on EMWIS website

44- A scenario for the future development of the agricultural and water sector in arid and hyper arid areas, based on recent technologies and scientific results is published as an Implementation Guide of the "Cycler Support" project, which is a specific support action accomplished under the 6th Framework Programme of the European Union, aimed at the implementation of research activities related to wastewater use and - recycling within new generation greenhouse system. Further information on EMWIS website

45- Practical Wastewater Treatment Report: This book serves as both a textbook for the working professional and a guide for the student to learn about the elements of wastewater treatment. The book address how to handle various types of industrial wastes and how to design a wastewater treatment plant. Further information on EMWIS website

46- In January 2009 a new book will become available, entitled "Contaminated Sediments" in the series "The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry", Vol. 5: Water Pollution, Part 5T. This volume of the Handbook deals with various aspects of sediment contamination such as the fate and behavior of persistent organic pollutants, the application of sediment toxicity identification evaluation protocols, and the various ways to degrade toxic pollutants from sediments. Further information on EMWIS website.

47- "River Basins - from Hydrological Science to Water Management: Ninth Kovacs Colloquium Report, 6-7 June 2008, UNESCO, Paris": The discussion and debate at the Colloquium strongly supported these recommendations and also raised further questions and unsolved problems in ongoing hydrological research and water management. Further information on EMWIS website.

48- Managing and Transforming Water Conflicts: a practical guide. Further information on EMWIS website

49- Climate and the Hydrological Cycle: This new book of self-contained chapters by specialists in hydrology and climate science, fills the need of graduate/postgraduate courses and will be of use to scientists and engineers interested in the water cycle, weather prediction and climate change. Further information on EMWIS website.

50- Managing Water Resources describes the 'systems approach' and its application to contemporary water resources management, focusing on simulation, optimization and multi-objective analysis. Further information on EMWIS website.

51- WaDImena Monthly Drop 18 No-Dec 08: This newsletter is a bulletin of information issued on monthly basis and provides information, news and resources related to water demand management in the Middle East and North Africa region. Further information on EMWIS website.

52- Twenty years of water classes water online: The minutes of the celebration of 20 years of water classes is available online. Further information on EMWIS website

53- Vademecum of Water: This book focuses essentially on themes necessary to understand water management and sanitation. Further information on EMWIS website

54- MEDA-Water Newsletter N° 4 - October 2008. Further information on EMWIS website

55- The Newsletter of the IME (Mediterranean Institute of Water) for the month of October 2008 is available online. Further information on EMWIS website

56- UNESCO Water Portal Newsletter No. 211: Water and AIDS. Further information on EMWIS website.

57- The INPIM e-newsletter, January, 2009; Number 83 (INPIM e-newsletter, Issue 82; December 7, 2008). Further information on EMWIS website.

58- IAHS Newsletter 92, November 2008. Further information on EMWIS website.

59- The 10th issue of the TIGER Newsletter, December 2008. Further information on EMWIS website.

60- The SDI Regional Newsletters for January 2008 are now online on the GSDI home page. Further information on EMWIS website.

61- SedNet E-newsletter - December 2008. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR TENDERS and PROPOSALS
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62- ENPI region Call for proposals (Cooperation between local actors): A restricted Call for Proposals to promote mutual understanding, dialogue and cooperation between local actors in the EU and in the partner countries of the Neighborhood region (ENPI region), through the provision of capacity building for the modernization and strengthening of local and regional government, has been published. A total of ?11.000.000 are available for the purpose of awarding co-financing grants. In the first instance only Concept Notes must be submitted for evaluation, before 27 February 2009, for the Call "Cooperation in Urban Development and Dialogue" (EuropeAid/127778/C/ACT/MULTI). Further information on EMWIS website

63- A Call for expressions of interest (Reference Nr EuropeAid/ 123304/C/SER/TPS) for the "Provision of training on various subjects related to the implementation of projects financed from the EU General Budget in the context of external actions" is open until 4 February 2009. The activities for this Call may be related to distance learning, or pedagogical methods such as on-the-job training or case studies. The sub-fields are including Knowledge Management projects and Information systems. Further information on EMWIS website.

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CALL FOR PAPERS
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64- The Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources development and Management (INWRDAM) survey questionnaire on use of MBR in MENA region: The purpose of this questionnaire is to check the potential of considering Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment plant as a valid option for treating the domestic wastewater in the rural areas in selected MENA region countries. Further information on EMWIS website.

65- Call for papers for the Special issue: "Hydraulic Bureaucracies: Flows of Water and Power". This special issue will include case studies from various countries that will emphasize the inner historical transformations and the role of these water bureaucracies in the transformation of landscapes, as well as in the formation of the state and wider social relationships. Deadline: 1st of March 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.

66- Call for papers for the International Journal on Hydropower & Dams: HYDRO 2009. This conference will be held in Lyon (Fance) in 26-28 October 2009. Key themes for the programme have been drawn up on the basis of feedback from our International Steering Committee, and participants of HYDRO 2008 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Abstracts of proposed papers are called for by 30 January. Further information on EMWIS website.

67- Call for Papers for the International Conference "Water, Waste and Environment - Union for the Mediterranean". This international conference will be held on 26-27 November 2009 in El Jadida (Morocco), organized by the University Chouaïb Doukkali, Faculty of Sciences El Jadida, in partnership with Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Géologie Nancy France. Deadline for submission of abstracts:31 July 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.

68- Call for abstracts for the RSPSoc2009: The 2009 Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Annual Conference. This conference will be held in Leceister, UK in 8-11 September 2009. 27th March 2009: Deadline for abstract submission. Further information on EMWIS website.

69- Call for abstracts for "the International Conference: Water resources in Europe - The past, present and future": This conference will be held in Cracow (Poland) on 19-21 October 2009. The aim of this International Conference is the presentation of the existing state of the water resources and water management in Europe and in various European countries as well as the forecast of this state in the near and far future. The subject of the conference are inland surface and ground waters. Abstracts should be send by e-mail to: konferencja@imgw.pl not later than 31 January 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.

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TRAINING
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70- A "Short course on Negotiation and mediation for water conflict" will be jointly offered by UNESCO's "From Potential Conflict to Cooperation Potential" programme (PCCP) and the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. The course will introduce the basic concepts of water cooperation, conflict prevention and mitigation. The course will be held from 6 to 24 April 2009 in te Hague & Delft (The Netherlands) and the deadline for applications is 6 March 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.

71- "Financial Management of Water Organizations": The aim of this course is to prepare participants for positions of leadership in water sector and utility management. The course will be held from 27 April to 15 May 2009 in Delft (The Netherlands) and the deadline for applications is 27 March 2009. Further information on EMWIS website.

72- [2009/02/10 - 2009/02/13] A 4-day Intensive Course: Integrated Water Resources Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions, L'Alquila, Italy.
Further information on EMWIS website

73- [2009/02/03 - 2009/02/03] & [2009/03/12 - 2009/03/12] Les Journées de l'OIEau 2009: "LES PROCEDES D'EPURATION PAR FILTRES PLANTES DE MACROPHYTES" & "LES POLLUTIONS EMERGENTES EN TRAITEMENT DE POTABILISATION", Paris, France.
Further information on EMWIS website

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EVENTS (Full Agenda)
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[2009/02/21 - 2009/02/24] The Third Grmena Conferences: Water - Resources Management + Environment and Geosciences+ Remote Sensing & GIS, Third International Conference and Exhibition, Cairo, Egypt