On 18 May 2021, the “Science & Research Forum – Water Dialogues For Results I Towards Bonn 2021” took place as an online event, which was supported by inputs from GRoW scientists. The participants discussed the role of science and innovation in accelerating SDG 6 implementation with leading experts in the water sector.
Just in time for World Water Day on March 22, 2021, the BMBF has launched the Innovation Atlas Water. The Innovation Atlas provides an overview of products and results from five BMBF funding measures on the topic of water, including a large number of products from the GRoW projects. The Innovation Atlas allows users to systematically search for innovative products.
Between 2017 and 2021, the German-Brazilian MuDaK-WRM project consortium led by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) examined how the water quality in reservoirs in regions with little data can be monitored and evaluated in an easier and more efficient way. The project results include the development of user-friendly, globally applicable monitoring approaches, models and measurement techniques as well as the identification of urgent challenges with regard to effects of climate change.
In the MDR-WISSEN podcast “Meine Challenge”, reporter Daniela Schmidt examines the question of how safe our water supply is. To do this, she is bringing in expert knowledge from GRoW researchers Prof Dr Martina Flörke, Dr Markus Berger and Prof Dr Wolfram Mauser.
The motto of this year's World Water Day "Valuing Water" directs attention to the value water holds for each and every individual. However, the value of water is not limited to daily hand washing, showering, cooking and drinking. Rather, a large part of our water consumption takes place invisibly. It is precisely this invisible water consumption that adds significantly to an exacerbation of global and regional water crises. What contribution does GRoW make to visualize these hidden water values?
„Water for everyone“ is the title of the guest contribution of GRoW researcher Prof Dr Wolfram Mauser, published by the Frankfurter Rundschau for World Water Day 2021. The hydrologist explains the GRoW Call for Action which is calling upon global leaders in business and policy to tackle the global water crisis.
The thesis paper “Seven Sins against Local Water Management” was published for GRoW by the Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management at the Witten/Herdecke University (IEEM gGmbH). Drawing on extensive empirical research, the authors identify seven starting points to secure water service performance and prevent sunk investments in the water sector.
On February 12, 2021, the former members of the UN Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) met to discuss current challenges in the water and sanitation sector. Prof. Dr. Harald Kunstmann, coordinator of the GRoW project SaWaM, participated in the meeting. Representing the research perspective within the water sector, he highlighted some key results from the GRoW initiative, and emphasized the role of science in achieving a sustainable water resource management.
On November 3rd and 4th, 2020, the final workshop of the GRoW project GlobeDrought took place, organized by the Institute for Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University (UNU-EHS). At the virtual event, 74 participants addressed questions relating to the characterization, prognosis, monitoring and risk minimization of drought events.
The GRoW joint project STEER has published six Policy Briefs dealing with complex and cross-sectoral challenges of water governance in six different case studies. The authors present findings from Mongolia, Iran, South Africa, Southern Spain and Germany and translate them into recommendations for action.
