Decade’s WeeklyUnited Nations, Water for Life, UN Water
 News from the International Decade for Action ’Water for Life’ 2005-2015
  Issue 24. 31 January 2014 www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/decade_weekly.shtml 
This week in focus  Editor’s note

Welcome to the Decade’s Weekly! Every week it brings you the latest news from the International Decade for Action ’Water for Life’ 2005-2015. Please feel free to forward this newsletter. You can also access this newsletter online.

Tip of the week
Tip of the week
 
Don't forget to apply to the UN-Water Journalist Workshop on Water and Energy! Deadline is 10 February 2014.
>> More info

A picture is worth a thousand words! Photo gallery from 2014 UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference
 
A picture is worth a thousand words!
>> Conference photo gallery

#Wetlands

Participate in World Wetlands Day and help spread the word about the importance of wetlands for agriculture!

Date: 2 February 2014
Place: All over the world

World Wetlands Day takes place on 2 February, under the slogan ’Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth’. This year being the UN International Year of Family Farming, Wetlands Day places an emphasis on the need for the wetland, water and agricultural sectors to work together for the best shared outcomes.

"Wetlands are often seen as a barrier to agriculture and they continue to be drained and reclaimed to make farming land available. As Christopher Briggs, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention explains, in some regions "more than half our wetlands have been lost...these are not just places to swim, to sunbathe, to enjoy nature". The importance of these places is often understated and their inter-linkages with agriculture demonstrate an obvious human impact, where they provide reliable sources of water and fertile soil as well as "the water we drink!"

Support World Wetlands Day through the variety of information materials available. Posters, leaflets, comics, educational packs and a leaflet explaining good practice from around the world have been produced, so please get involved!

From 27 January to 9 February 2014 you can also take part in a Video Competition. Ramsar invites you to share your videos showing successful interactions between agriculture and wetlands or showing a glimpse of how your World Wetlands Day events and activities are raising awareness about wetlands.

>> Download information materials
>> Video competition

In the news Forthcoming events
#WWDR2014 Save the date! World Water Development Report 2014 (WWDR2014) on Water and Energy to be launched on 21 March 2014

Water is required to produce nearly all forms of energy and energy is needed at all states of water production. WWDR2014, to be launched during the main World Water Day celebrations in Tokyo, Japan, on 21 March 2014, describes the water-energy interlinkages, constraints, challenges, impacts and opportunities. The report also provides examples of actions and responses that can provide mutually beneficial outcomes and the most recent data on current projected growth in the demand for water and energy.
>> Download Save the Date! card and help promote the message! >>Visit the WWDR2014 dedicated section

#HumanRight Launch of 1st e-discussion on realizing the rights to water and sanitation

The UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque, launches a round of e-discussions on the Handbook for realizing the rights to water and sanitation. The discussions aim to identify the key barriers, challenges and opportunities that stakeholders encounter in realizing the rights to water and sanitation. This first discussion, which runs from 29 January to 10 February 2014, focuses on general experiences in supporting access to water and sanitation including some of the main challenges of discrimination in service delivery in realizing the rights to water and sanitation. This is an important opportunity to share experiences, good practices and lessons learned on ensuring non-discrimination and equality in ensuring access to water and sanitation, so be sure to participate.
>> Participate in or follow the discussion

#Water&Energy World Bank releases new 'Thirsty Energy' infographics

The World Bank has released a set of infographics which demonstrate the energy and water's interdependencies. The infographics aim to demonstrate some of the facts surrounding the water-energy challenge and hopefully take this information to those that may not be aware of it. The data map the journey of the water-energy nexus as far as 2050, exploring the global effects of increased demand, how this will impact vulnerable, developing countries, risks for the energy sector and where and how it is already happening.
>> Download the infographics

#ClimateChange 2nd meeting of the global network of basins working on climate change adaptation

Date: 13-14 February 2014
Place: Salle VIII, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
Organizers: UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO)

The meeting will offer a platform for comparing methodologies and approaches, fostering exchange of experience and promoting a shared vision between the participating basins of the global network of basins. The meeting's objectives include discussing the preparation of the collection of good practices and lessons learned on climate change adaptation in transboundary basins and collecting specific input.
>> More info

#Post2015 UNGA thematic debate "Water, Sanitation and Sustainable Energy in the post 2015 development agenda"

Date: 18 - 19 February 2014
Place: UN headquarters, New York, USA
Organizers: Office of the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA)

This thematic debate, which will include participation of Member States, observers, UN Agencies and representatives of civil society, private sector, and other relevant stakeholders, intends to identify the main water, sanitation and sustainable energy challenges that hinder achievement of MDGs and discuss how to tackle these challenges in an integrated manner in the post-2015 agenda. Other key issues approached include 'means of implementation and utilization of ecosystem approaches, science and technology know-how and conservation measures.'
>> More infoPDF document

#Hydrology 7th Global FRIEND-Water Conference

Date: 24-28 February 2014
Place: Hanoi, Viet Nam
Organizers: UNESCO's International Hydrological Programme in collaboration with other organisations

The Flow Regime from International Experimental and Network Data (FRIEND)-Water Conference 2014 will focus on the theme "Hydrology in a Changing World: Environmental and Human Dimensions." FRIEND-Water aims to facilitate understanding about how climate, human and river basin factors influence the spatial and temporal distribution of water. The conference will share knowledge on changes in hydrological processes and their impacts and discuss how to develop adaptable water management and water policies to account for these impacts.
>> More information

You make the Decade! Who has joined the Water Decade campaign?

  • Mineral waters through their labels

The conference "Mineral waters through their labels" organized by the Society of Friends of the National Natural Science Museum, the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN) and the National Research Council (CSIC), has been rescheduled for 1 April 2014 at 19:00, to be held at the Hall of MNCN. The Society of Friends is also hosting another conference "Mars: Astrogeology, Water and the search for life" on 10 June 2014 at 19.00. The Decade's logo is displayed on the webpages of these two conferences and in the printed version of the Museum's Guide.
>> Contact

  • "The Blue Kiss" (Il Bacio Azzurro)

Invidea Network S.R.L. is producing a film titled "The Blue Kiss" (Il Bacio Azzurro). The film promotes a symbolic, spiritual and lyrical sense, tracing the path of water as the substance and soul that unites the people of the world. The film has the objective of developing public awareness for water as the primary resource of all humanity, which should never be abused. The Decade's logo will be included in the titles and closing credits for the feature-length film, on the film website, publicity posters and all other communications (news releases, invitations, brochures, etc.).
>> Contact

  • "Water sounds"

Regula Bernath (flute) together with Foderà Salvatore (guitar) and school projects in Chile supported by the National Park Vicente Perez Rosales and with the sponsorship of the Swiss Embassy in Chile are organizing a musical event to reflect upon and deepen the theme of water. The students will perform an open concert where Swiss and Chilean folk songs related to water will be sung in different languages. Concerts on the same theme will also be held in Switzerland. The Decade's logo will be included in the poster of the event and on the website.
>> Contact

Want to be part of the Decade’s campaign? Join us!