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On 11 June 2014 Francesca de Châtel successfully defended her PhD thesis on water in Syria. The Jordan River has been reduced to 2% of its historic size and is heavily polluted. Across Syria, rivers are shrinking, springs have dried up, and the desert is spreading. The water crisis in the Middle East, the most water-scarce region in the world, is rapidly worsening, yet decision-makers appear unwilling to acknowledge its severity and water remains low on the political agenda. How can this gap between the reality of growing scarcity on the ground and the continued illusion of plenty be explained?
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Smart agricultural practices and an extensive grain-trade network enabled the Romans to thrive in the water-limited environment of the Mediterranean, a new study shows. The stable food supply brought about by these measures promoted population growth and urbanisation, however, pushing the Empire closer to the limits of its food resources. A model of ancient water movement shows how trade practices might affect today’s urban centers as the climate changes. Ancient water networks made the Roman Empire vulnerable.
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Do you worry that there is not enough water for people, the economy and environment? Do you wonder if the water in our taps and rivers is safe or polluted? Do you want to know if farmers waste water, utilities charge too much, or bottled water destroys ecosystems? You are not alone in asking questions. The headlines say "drought, pollution, conflict and insecurity," but the stories offer few solutions. Living with Water Scarcity clarifies the connections among personal and social water flows in an accessible style.
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On 4–5 June 2014 the Netherlands Hydrological Society (NHV), together with the Dutch Foundation for Applied Water Research (STOWA), organized a symposium on the implications of the new climate scenarios for water management. The symposium «New climate scenarios – implications for water management» was set in the framework of global developments regarding future scenarios on climate variability and change, and their impact on hydrology and water resources. It built on the presentation of new scenarios for the climate of the Netherlands for the periods 2036–2065 ('2050') and 2071–2100 ('2085') by the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) in April 2014. A summary in English lists the main findings, notions and recommendations from the discussions during the symposium.
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24 October 2014, Maastricht • International symposium on droughts and low flows, including groundwater. The Netherlands Hydrological Society (NHV), together with the Deutsche Hydrologische Gesellschaft (DHG), Belgium and other international and Dutch partners, is organizing a symposium on droughts and low flows, including groundwater. It is now possible to register.
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Wetlands International is pleased to invite you for an evening reception in the European Parliament on 10 December 2014, hosted by Mr Ricardo Serrão Santos, Member of the European Parliament. The event will bring together Members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and practitioners in Disaster Risk Reduction and development.
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On 19 May 2014 Viet Nam acceded to the UN Watercourses Convention, making it the 35th country to join this global instrument. The accession by Viet Nam to the United Nations Watercourses Convention triggered its entry into force by bringing the number of Parties to the required total of 35. The 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (United Nations Watercourses Convention) will enter into force on 17 August 2014.
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In May 2013, a year ago, Thomas Friedman, writing for the International Herald Tribune and New York Times, was one of the first to acknowledge the importance of drought, the lack of water and possibly climate change in the Syrian revolution. »Kids without books, teachers or classes for a long time — that’s trouble. Big trouble.«, he wrote. And »the drought and unemployment were important in pushing people toward revolution«, a Syrian lady was quoted. Building on this and on other information, Peter Gleick, in his paper «Water, Drought, Climate Change, and Conflict in Syria», to be published in July 2014, also concludes that drought, water and agricultural management, and climatic conditions are factors in the Syrian conflict.
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We are sorry to have to inform you that Professor Mike Bonell died in Paris last week. Professor Bonell was a valued colleague at the Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science and contributed significantly to the Centre in many ways. He was instrumental in obtaining UNESCO Category II status for the Centre in 2005, and his expertise in hydrology and catchment science provided a vital contribution to the Centre’s multidisciplinary focus.
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