Nachrichtenüberblick Februar 2006
01.02.2006
http://www.ramsar.org/wwd/6/wwd2006_index.htm
Convention on
Wetlands - Ramsar Convention (1971)
…. Wetlands are: areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or
artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing,
fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at
low tide does not exceed six metres. Wetlands are among the world’s most productive environments. They are
cradles of biological diversity, providing the water and primary productivity
upon which countless species of plants and animals depend for survival. Humans have damaged wetlands by damming,
dyking and canalizing rivers, converting floodplains to aquaculture, planting
trees on bogs, draining marshes for agriculture, forestry and urban development
and ‘mining’ them for peat, often with heavy state subsidy. But throughout
history, agricultural activity has been the most important single cause of
damage, with wetlands drained to provide croplands. 50% of the world's wetlands
have been lost in the past century alone …
The Ramsar Convention
Manual: a Guide to the Convention on Wetlands
Ramsar Convention Secretariat, 2004
http://www.ramsar.org/lib/lib_manual2004e.htm
Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands http://www.ramsar.org/
RAMSAR - MAB Joint
Website http://www.unesco.org/mab/ramsarmab.htm
u NACHRICHTEN
Neuer Direktor am
Friedensforschungs-Institut
30.01.06 Das Institut für Friedensforschung und
Sicherheitspolitik (IFSH) an der Universität Hamburg steht mit einem neuen
Direktor für "Kontinuität mit ein paar Änderungen". "Es hat
wenig Sinn, an der bisherigen Arbeit zu rütteln", sagt Michael Brzoska,
der sein Amt am 1. Februar antritt. "Es gibt in einigen Bereichen noch
keine klare Linie, etwa bei der Abrüstung", kündigt er Änderungen an. Auch
in anderen Forschungsbereichen des IFSH könnten neue Schwerpunkte entstehen ...
Im Zentrum für Europäische Friedens- und Sicherheitsstudien (ZEUS) sieht
Brzoska einen Bedarf für mehr Arbeit an der europäischen Verteidigungspolitik
... "Noch etwas unentschlossen" ist Brzoska bei möglichen neuen
Feldern für die Interdisziplinäre Forschungsgruppe Abrüstung, Rüstungskontrolle
und Risikotechnologien (IFAR). "Hier müssen wir noch einige Sachen
ausdiskutieren." Er könne sich aber vorstellen, daß etwa die
Weltraumtechnologie in die künftige Forschung mit einbezogen wird ... Den
geringsten Änderungsbedarf sieht der neue IFSH-Direktor im dritten
Forschungsbereich, im Zentrum für OSZE-Forschung (CORE) ...
http://www.welt.de/data/2006/01/30/838512.html
BICC Staff http://www.bicc.de/info/staff/staffpages/mb.php
PM issues blunt warning
on climate change
January 30, 2006 … Tony
Blair warns that the impact of climate change may be more serious than
previously thought in a new government report on global warming published
today. The report raises fears that both the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets
are likely to melt, leading to a devastating rise in sea levels … "It is
clear from the work presented that the risks of climate change may well be
greater than we thought" … The report also warns that the EU may have to
adopt tougher climate change targets …
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,,1698216,00.html#article_continue
Metito says that 'Water Must Be
Managed by the private sector'
January 30 - 2006
Metito, the international desalination, water, and wastewater treatment
specialist, made a strong case for greater private sector involvement in the
water sector, at Public Private Partnership conference in Dubai …
http://www.ameinfo.com/76715.html
January 30, 2006
Newly-appointed Union Water Resources Minister Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz
today expressed the hope that all water disputes with Pakistan will be resolved
amicably … ''I will shoulder the responsibility and go into the nitty-gritty of
the problems. We will be talking to Pakistan and make efforts to resolve all
water disputes amicably'' … ''It is a huge responsibility for me. Though the
Water Ministry from outside looks small, there is a lot of work. The task is
very hectic. It is my perception that I have to serve both the people and the
party'' … On whether he would continue to hold ''back channel'' talks with
separatist leaders, Prof Soz said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had clearly
stated that his doors were open for all those who abjured violence and were
willing to come to the negotiating table … said the Centre had decided to
broaden the ambit of the ongoing dialogue process and was likely to hold talks
with representatives of the people from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh divisions ...
http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=233981&cat=India
Jan. 29, 2006- Much as
coal miners used canaries to detect toxic gases in mines, the city will use a
type of water flea to test reservoirs for toxins that could be dumped by
terrorists. The Altoona City Authority said it will use Daphnia water fleas to check
water in the reservoirs ...
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13743530.htm
January 29, 2006 … Salt management is an emerging
issue that requires a meaningful discussion and consideration of real solutions
that are environmentally and economically sustainable. To identify solutions,
the problem also must be fully understood. Karl Longley, a California State
University, Fresno, professor and longtime regulator on the Central Valley
Regional Water Quality Control Board, has described salt management as a
"dilemma," a predicament that defies a satisfactory solution … While
there are appropriate levels of minerals and salts beneficial to crops, no
statewide standards or limits exist for discharging salts … The dilemma is
created by the fact that no proven technologies exist for treating salt. We
have been immensely successful in removing the sugars, fats, proteins and other
organics left over from the cheese-making process. However, unlike organics,
salts cannot be treated … Salt management is a complex dilemma requiring
cooperation from all involved. It is time to recognize the problems and focus
on solutions …
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/community/story/11744886p-12466835c.html
24 Jan 2006
… Yemen is one of the most water scarce countries in the world, where
the average per capita share of renewable water resources is 125 cubic metres
per year, according to government estimates. This represents one-tenth of the
average in most countries of the Middle East and North Africa, and one-fiftieth
of the world average. Further, according to a recent UNICEF report, Yemen has
the world's fourth fastest growing population, which will increasingly reduce
each person's available share of fresh water. Experts in the government and
from donor nations describe the problem as a looming national disaster …
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/30b2a2879dc564eb8e6414715d30b712.htm
22/01/06 Pakistan’s acute water crisis may have
serious fallout on Indo-Pak dialogue. Though Gen Pervez Musharraf didn’t
mention the ongoing tension over the Baglihar project in Jammu & Kashmir
during his recent televised address on water, the issue may surface anytime in
future ... The Bank [World Bank] may facilitate setting up of a court of
arbitration if the neutral expert fails to resolve the difference …
Interestingly, Musharraf considers the issue of water scarcity and dams in
Pakistan as “important and complex” … water could be a question of life and
death for those living in Sindh province.A water expert … “For Pakistan,
shortage of water has become a very serious matter. It may turn out to be a
life and death situation soon. I will not be surprised if water dominates
India-Pakistan talks in future.” … “If Pakistan comes out of the
present crisis of water shortage, it’s good for the entire region. Otherwise,
water disputes may emerge in already-troubled India-Pakistan ties. In Sindh,
people are agitating against construction of big dams, but dams are a solution,
and Pakistan government has made up its mind to go ahead with several dams.” … Gen
Musharraf recently announced that the country would construct a number of dams
including Basha, Kalabagh, Akori, Munda and Koramtangi by 2016. At present,
China is constructing seven major dams (above 200 feet), Turkey 22, Japan 35,
Iran 28 and India six.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1380965,curpg-1.cms
January 21, 2006
The city of Lahore is expected to face a serious clean-water threat in
near future because of the decrease in the sweet water level over the last
couple of years, which is allowing brackish water from suburbs to flow into the
city, Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) officials … According to reports,
around twenty people died of water contamination in Data Gunj Baksh Town in
2005 … According to a Water Resource Strategy study, over 25,000 people are
suffering from various diseases in Lahore because of contaminated water ...
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C01%5C21%5Cstory_21-1-2006_pg7_22
January 18, 2006
Pakistan is one of the world’s most arid countries, with an average
rainfall of under 240 mm a year. The population and the economy are heavily
dependent on an annual influx into the Indus river system (including the Indus,
Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers) of about 180 billion cubic meters
of water, that emanates from the neighbouring countries and is mostly derived from
snow-melt in the Himalayas. Throughout history, people have adapted to the low
and poorly distributed rainfall by either living along riverbanks or by careful
husbanding and management of local water resources. One of the greatest of
human civilisations – the Indus Valley civilisation (Harrapa and Mohenjo Daro)
– flourished along the banks of the Indus ... This precarious, low-level
balance between man and water was decisively shifted with the advent of
large-scale irrigation technology in the 19th century. The Indus irrigation
system became the largest contiguous irrigation system in the world. The desert
literally bloomed, with irrigated agriculture providing the platform for the
development of the modern economy of Pakistan … This hydraulic economy has
faced and surmounted three massive challenges in the last half century … So the
modern history of water development and management in Pakistan is one in which
the glass can be seen as more than half full. But, as this report will show,
the glass can also be viewed as much more than half empty too. Once again, the
survival of a modern and growing Pakistan is threatened by water ...
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C01%5C18%5Cstory_18-1-2006_pg7_27
January 18, 2006
BASED on water quality tolerance, urban water supplies fall into two main
categories -- high and low quality water. High quality water meets World Health
Organisation (WHO) standards and is used for drinking and cooking. Low quality
water is used in urban agriculture, conveyance of human excreta in sewers,
refilling swimming pools and other non-phytosanitary uses. These account for
more than 90 percent of urban water uses … The feasibility of supplying split
water quality for the dual objectives has to be investigated to reduce water
supply costs to consumers and the Harare City Council while ensuring that the
dual objectives are met for all purposes … In essence, if parallel water supply
systems were introduced to serve the two fundamental urban water users, the
sustainability of water resources management and land use planning would be
improved. The hierarchy of user needs would be integrated in designing
intervention measures.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200601180104.html
14.
Januar 2006 In Zeiten, in denen sich
die Sorgen der Welt auf die Verfügbarkeit von Rohöl und seit kurzem auch von
Erdgas konzentrieren, wird viel zu häufig übersehen, daß die Menschheit künftig
eine erhebliche Verknappung von Trinkwasser fürchten muß. So wird mit Blick auf
die rasant wachsende Wassernachfrage und die gleichzeitig zunehmende
Verschmutzung gerade in Schwellenländern wie China oder Indien Trinkwasser zu
einer immer kostbareren und beschränkteren Ressource werden … macht deutlich,
wie außerordentlich facettenreich das Thema Wasser ist. So können Aussagen wie
"Wasser ist global betrachtet ausreichend vorhanden" und "fünf
Millionen Menschen sterben jährlich an Wassermangel" gleichberechtigt
nebeneinander stehen. Denn beide sind "wahr". Sie weisen zugleich auf
die grundlegende, vor allem aus Unternehmens- und Investorensicht bedeutsame
Problematik hin: wie kann Wasser möglichst effizient verteilt und genutzt
werden? … Der Staat allein kann bei anstehenden Investitionssummen im hohen
dreistelligen Milliarden-Dollar-Bereich kein Garant mehr für eine
bedarfsgerechte Wasserversorgung sein. Als Lösungsweg bieten sich
öffentlich-private Partnerschaften an … Wasser ist für Wirtschaft und Leben
unverzichtbar … Attraktive Chancen für Investoren sind daher entlang der
gesamten Wertschöpfungskette des Wassers zu finden …
http://www.welt.de/data/2006/01/14/831223.html
u
Links / Hintergründe
The Value of Scarce Water:
Measuring the Inefficiency of Municipal Regulations
Working Paper 06-01. Jan 2006 … Rather
than allowing water prices to reflect scarcity rents during periods of
drought-induced excess demand, policy makers have mandated command-and-control
approaches …
http://www.aei-brookings.org/publications/abstract.php?pid=1032
Dokument: http://www.aei-brookings.org/admin/authorpdfs/page.php?id=1238
paper 47: Munir Ladaa - Transboundary Issues on the Caspian Sea
Opportunities for Cooperation, January 2006
http://www.bicc.de/publications/papers/paper47/content.php
... angekündigt – in Erscheinung:
paper 46: Lars Wirkus -
Water, Development and Cooperation-Comparative Perspective: Euphrates-Tigris
and Southern Africa, January 2006
http://www.bicc.de/publications/papers/papers.php
brief 33: Volker Böge -
Water, Conflict and Transboundary Water Governance:
Southern African
Experiences, January/February 2006
http://www.bicc.de/publications/briefs/briefs.php
In der Broschüre "Wasserzeichen" wird der Status-Quo der österreichischen Wasserwirtschaft erfasst und aufgezeigt, wo dieser "österreichische Wasserweg" in Zukunft hinführen wird ...
http://www.bohmann.at/templates/index.cfm/id/18127
http://gpool.lfrz.at/gpoolexport/media/file/Wasserbroschuere.pdf
GLOWA – Globaler Wandel des Wasserkreislaufes / GLOWA
– Global Change and the Hydrological Cycle
... Programm GLOWA des BMBF (Globaler
Wandel des Wasserkreislaufes) gilt als ein Pilotprogramm ... sollen
wissenschaftlich fundierte Instrumentarien für eine vorausschauende und
nachhaltige Bewirtschaftung großer Flusseinzugsgebiete entwickelt werden, und
zwar unter Berücksichtigung (globaler) Veränderung der Umwelt und der sich
ebenfalls ändernden sozioökonomischen Randbedingungen ... Bundesministerium für Bildung
und Forschung (BMBF) 2005
http://www.bmbf.de/pub/glowa_dt-eng.pdf
siehe auch: Wasser - Ressource für das Leben
http://www.bmbf.de/de/3934.php
Institut für
sozial-ökologische Forschung (ISOE)
Forschungsprojekte
http://www.isoe.de/projekte/projekte.htm
Forschungsschwerpunkt
Wasser und nachhaltige Umweltplanung
http://www.isoe.de/projekte/projekte.htm#wasser
http://www.isoe.de/ftp/pdfarchiv.htm#wasser
Projekt:
Evaluationsnetzwerk für transdisziplinäre Forschung - Evalunet
http://www.isoe.de/projekte/evalunet.htm
... wie können transdisziplinäre
Forschungsansätze in allen Bereichen der Forschungslandschaft dauerhaft
gestärkt werden? Wie müssen belastbare Evaluationsindikatoren und -instrumente
beschaffen sein, um nicht nur die Evaluation sondern auch die
Qualitätssicherung von transdisziplinären Forschungsvorhaben zu gewährleisten?
Das Vorhaben Evalunet zielt darauf, praxistaugliche Verfahren und Kriterien für
die Evaluation transdisziplinärer Forschung zu erarbeiten. Das breite Spektrum
der Forschungsinhalte und Forschungssettings der innerhalb von Evalunet
evaluierten transdisziplinären Forschungsprojekte war dabei eine zentrale
Voraussetzung, um einen praxistauglichen Leitfaden für die transdisziplinäre
Forschung zu erarbeiten, der als ISOE-Studientext, Nr. 13 veröffentlicht ist
...
https://www.shop.isoe.de/pd1128437585.htm?categoryId=1
A Guide for the Formative Evaluation of Research Projects
… is now electronically available in English and German The Evaluation Network for Transdisciplinary
Research has spent several years working on the question of how the quality of
transdisciplinary research processes can be secured and evaluated. As the
central result, the "Guide for the Formative Evaluation of Research
Projects" was published in the German language at the end of 2005. The
Guide is now also electronically available in English ...
http://www.downloads.isoe.de/literatur/evalunet_e.htm
Foreword: http://www.downloads.isoe.de/public_html/evalunet_foreword.pdf
Heft 02/2006 Wasserpolitik
http://www.geographischerundschau.de/
Herzliche
Grüße – noch - von der Elbe ... und einen hab` ich noch zum Thema:
... noch nie wurde ein so schöne
Bogen vom Wasser zur Politik übers Tiramisu geschlagen:
http://www.biermoesl-blosn.de/mp3/daswasser.mp3
Jörg
Barandat
http://de.geocities.com/joergbarandat/wassernetz.html