Category: Water Resources

The global inventory of fresh surface water resources is about 0.3% of the total water available on the earth. The major part of these resources (87%) exists in lakes and only 2% flows in rivers while the remaining (11%) is trapped in swamps. The remainder of the global freshwater resources, which amounts to double the surface water resources (i.e. 0.6%), exists in icecaps and glaciers (67%), and groundwater (30%). The global inventory of fresh surface water is conservative, i.e. constant, as the earth is a closed system in this respect. However, the quality of fresh surface water on the earth’s surface has gone through, and still, gradual degradation by the increasing waste and pollution as a results of growing population, consumption of natural resources and industrialization as well as severe lack of regulations for protection of global water resources. Also, groundwater resources are facing tremendous threats both in terms of quantity and quality. Freshwater resources management is essential for achieving sustainable socio-economic developments through implementation of best water practices in all society sectors. Existing and emerging competition on freshwater resources on national, regional and global levels, and the diverse interests among stakeholders in public and private sectors, call for Water Framework Directive to achieve good qualitative and quantitative status of all water bodies including trans-boundary waters and marine water up to one nautical mile from shore. There are constant needs for developing treaties, conventions, regulations and agreements on all levels, sectors and consumers. This involves taking in consideration the nature of local, regional and global cycles and their interactions with climate, environment, humans and the techno-sphere. Management of water resources has to consider the complex interactions of water sectors, stakeholders and consumers with all other society sectors, in particular energy, agriculture, industry and household sectors. Among important issues for achieving sustainable socio-economic developments world over is affordability and accessibility of safe water resources for all society needs.

Increase of food prices cause accelerating threats on households in the MENA region.

The Middle East and North Africa “MENA” are important parts of the global food market. Food security and higher food prices are thought to be major factors in the region’s recent unrest. The MENA region is the largest wheat importer in the world, and wheat prices have doubled since 2005. With substantial and sustained increases in international prices of foods, coupled with a fast-growing domestic food demand, some MENA countries are facing growing fiscal and inflationary pressures. Most interesting, in all MENA countries, a decline in global food prices barely translates into a reduction in domestic food prices. What data shows us is that countries could reduce food price pressures considerably by tackling domestic issues, improving the targeting of subsidies and other food consumption and production policies.

http://menablog.worldbank.org/how-exposed-are-mena-households-global-food-price-increases

1 Comment

The Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations in Africa.

The eight millennium development goals of the United Nations in Africa for 2015 involve help that can be of great value for building sustainable public services and public infrastructures for counteracting poverty, improve health, education, environment, gender conditions as well as global partnership developments. Public services and public infrastructures are essential underlaying components for any sustainable socio-economic developments in modern societies. Management of public service and infrastructures on large-scale and long-term bases is IMPERATIVE for political stability and they are typically funded through taxation and governmental resources. Further information on the UN Millennium Development Goals in Africa are given at:
http://www.undp.org/content/sierraleone/en/home/mdgoverview/

Comment

The Water Institute of South Africa “WISA”.

WISA was officially formed in 1987, not as a body that had been spontaneously created at that time but as one that had evolved over more than half a century incurring several name changes en route.

The mission of WISA is to provide a forum for the exchange of information and views to improve water resource management in Southern Africa. Its objectives include inter alia ‘the promotion of and application of scientific and engineering knowledge and management skills in the planning, design, construction, maintenance, investigation, research and education in connection with the natural and controlled water cycle, including but not be limited to the application of scientific engineering and management skills to all or any of hydrology water resources, river management and flood alleviation, recreation, water supply and distribution, sewerage, sewage and industrial waste treatment, disposal and water pollution control.’

Visit the homepage of WISA and learn more about its activities.