The Kumbo water supply system has always had contested ownership claims. After decades of protest, action was taken and management was transferred to Kumbo Urban Council, resulting in the establishment of an inclusive and participatory community water governance structure. From this, the lesson can be learnt that the command and control paradigm can provoke social and political instability. The case also demonstrates how community based platforms can enhance community mobilisation and participatory governance.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) has sponsorship available for eligible candidates to complete an online course in Integrated and Adaptive Water Resources Planning, Management and Governance offered by McGill University’s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
El Salvador has experienced an increased vulnerability due to Climate Change. To tackle the challenges, an Early Warning System has been installed. This is part of the strategy of the local government to reduce the vulnerability and develop the capacity of the area to deal with floods and landslides. One lesson learnt is that political stability in an area is a great asset when carrying out any political reform.
One thing became clear at the Doha climate negotiations. As governments struggle to reach any agreement on climate mitigation, the urgency and importance of agreement on adaptation is now coming to the fore.
Bulgaria is bordering Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey. It has a strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia. Bulgaria has temperate climate with cold damp winters and hot dry summers. Natural hazards include earthquakes and landslides. Important natural resources include e.g. bauxite, copper, lead, zinc and coal.
Comment by Alex Simalabwi, Global Water Partnership Senior Network Officer and Climate Change Focal Point.
The Toledo River basin is increasingly contaminated due to unsustainable agricultural practices, Action was taken through a UNESCO-IHP project aiming to perform an integrated environmental assessment of agricultural and farming production systems located in the Toledo River Basin. By using a multi-criteria approach, it was possible to highlight the interactions and use of natural capital, human-driven resources, and ecosystem services supporting agricultural and farming production systems.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) launched its new project “Mega-cities and their Watersheds: Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Drinking Water Sources” on November 26, 2013 in Beijing.