On 16 May, the group of GRoW researchers working on “conflicting targets and synergies between different SDGs” met at IWW Water Centre in Mülheim an der Ruhr.
GRoW organizes two events on SDG trade-offs and synergies and on supporting SDG 6 by advancing the water footprint tool.
The World Water Week is approaching soon, which will host two events of “Water as a Global Resource” (GRoW), launched by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in 2017.
Managing water resources sustainably: Researchers present global analyses and local solutions at the GRoW mid-term conference in Frankfurt am Main.
Increasing governance capacities in the water sector while reflecting the close links between local and global action – these were the core topics addressed during the mid-term conference of the funding measure “Water as a Global Resource” (GRoW) launched by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in 2017.
Energy production and water availability are inextricably linked. Energy needs water resources (e.g. for distribution, cooling and as a source of energy), and water management requires energy (e.g. for water extraction and treatment). The nine partners in the WANDEL project aim to find out whether restrictions in water availability accelerate the transition to a renewable energy supply by limiting the use of conventional energy systems, or whether they hinder the transition by creating new local water conflicts. In the light of climate change and growing water stress, answering these questions is essential to identifying mitigating effects on the energy transition and developing practical solutions for a sustainable energy and water future.
In 2018, the UN published a report entitled “Sustainable Development Goal 6: Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation”. It reviewed progress on achieving SDG 6 at the global and regional level. A recently published research paper published in the journal Water discusses this report and asks how those engaged in education, training and research could contribute to enabling and accelerating progress towards achieving SDG 6. We talked to the paper’s authors, Professor Stefan Uhlenbrook and Dr Angela Ortigara from the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme, about this paper and how GRoW researchers could engage in the SDG 6 process.
The growing complexity of available data, tools and monitoring methods for water management can complicate decision-making. iWaGSS is developing and testing an innovative water governance system in the Lower Olifants River Basin in South Africa with the help of qualitative and quantitative water monitoring. The project combines expedient surface-water monitoring technologies, modern remote sensing, and hydrological, hydraulic and morphological modelling with GIS-based risk assessment and socioeconomic analyses.
Drinking water scarcity in prosperous urban areas is an increasing challenge for cities around the world. This situation, exacerbated by growing climatic extremes, is prevalent in the Rio Lurin catchment area in Lima (Peru), which is the world’s second largest desert city. The TRUST research project is exploiting the possibilities for developing an innovative solution to secure the drinking water supply and expedient disposal of water in the catchment area of the Rio Lurin, one of Lima’s three major drinking water sources. Using remote sensing and hydrological modelling in combination with strategic decision-making tools, the team of researchers and practitioners of natural sciences, engineering and social sciences has made significant progress in the project’s first year.
The GRoW mid-term conference taking place on 20/21 February 2019, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany nears. If you haven’t yet registered, please remember to do so here. Closing date for registrations is 1 February 2019 (registration is required).
Do you know a company, project, plant, technology, deal or initiative that deserves the “Global Water Awards”? The nomination for the Awards 2019 is now open and you can vote here until 31 January. Nominations can be made under 13 different categories, such as Smart Water Company of the Year, Municipal Desalination Plant of the Year or Water Leaders Award. The winners will be announced at the Global Water Summit on April 9th 2019 in London. Further information on the process can be found here.
The 10th International Conference on Sustainable Water Resources Management, organised by the Wessex Institute (UK) and the University of Alicante (Spain) opened its call for papers. The conference will present recent technological and scientific developments, associated with the management of surface and sub-surface water resources. Papers presented will be published by WIT Press in a Volume of WIT Transactions or at an Issue of the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning.
