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The Upper Mur River is considered as one of the most ecologically valuable rivers of Austria due to the natural reproduction for the Danube salmon. The systematic regulation of the river began at the end of the 19th century, distributaries were cut off and large areas were drained in order to intensify agricultural land use. Restoration measures started in 1997 in the area of the Upper Mur and the “Grenzmur”.  Various projects facilitated the renaturation of more than 22 km both in the upper course and the Slovenian border section of the river. A policy issue highlighted by the project is the importance to reconcile key needs for nature conservation with demands for renewable energy generation from small hydro power plants.

The beauty and wilderness of Danube floodplains was continuously deteriorated by human impacts. Construction of the Gabcikovo water dam caused direct clearance of minimum 2,500 ha of floodplain forests and influence of water regime of other areas. A regional NGO BROZ located in Slovakia, has developed a project for EU funding scheme LIFE. The project aims to preserve last remaining natural floodplain forests in Slovak part of the Danube floodplain and to introduce sound, sustainable forest management in the area. As a result, a Sustainable Forest Management Strategy has been elaborated to give a base for new forest management plans. 

The farmers in the Volta river basin generally rely on rain-fed agriculture. However, insufficient or irregular rainfall frequently puts farmers at risk of losing their crops. Farmers must have access to a reliable water supply to sustain their livelihoods. In line with the problems highlighted, the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) set out to find ways to strengthen the capacity of the famers, communities and other stake holders in the basin. As a lesson learnt, it is reasonable to expect stakeholders to adopt improved agricultural practices if such new practices are of their own benefit. Experiences show that stakeholders will only participate in innovation platform meetings when they see the value of doing so.

This Strategic Framework advances sector thinking around WASH and climate change. It is a collaboration between GWP and UNICEF.

One of the greatest barriers to achieving sustainable development is the increasing depletion of natural resources resulting in the degradation of ecosystems that are essential for human well-being and economic prosperity. This briefing note outlines the importance of ecosystem conservation. Briefing notes are two-page summaries on selected topics. They are prepared by GWP’s Global Secretariat and its partners.

New geopolitics of land and water call for a more strategic, governance-level response in which land and water are reconnected, and the political dimension of how they are allocated and used are fully recognised. This is a Perspectives Paper, meant to incite a discussion on important issues related to water and development.

A common understanding between the interlinkages of groundwater and land is needed to facilitate cross-sectoral dialogue on governance needs and management approaches, in order to sustain water resources and enhance land productivity. This is a Perspectives Paper, meant to incite a discussion on important issues related to water and development.

The paper provides an overview on the global groundwater economy and assesses the opportunities it offers for irrigated agriculture, as well as the risks it poses for depleting and degrading aquifer systems. The paper also reviews and evaluates various groundwater governance models. This is a Technical Background Paper, written by the GWP Technical Committee, a group of internationally recognised professionals in integrated water resources management.