Dive in and scroll down – enjoy these stories about nature and water from around the world. Día Mundial del Agua11 April 2018El Programa Hidrológico Internacional UNESCO es un programa intergubernamental de cooperación científica en materia de investigación, gestión, educación y creación de capacidades relativas a los recursos hídricos, siendo el único programa científico con un amplio enfoque en esta temática dentro del sistema de Naciones Unidas. Desde la Oficina Regional de Ciencia de UNESCO de América...Read more...The answer is in nature22 March 2018Growing demands, poor management and climate change have increased water stresses and scarcity of water is a major problem in many parts of the world. Furthermore, more than two billion people worldwide lack access to safe water and over 4.5 billion to adequate sanitation services, warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “By 2050 at least one...Read more...25 years of World Water Days22 March 2018Join the celebration – World Water Day turns 25! During the 8th World Water Forum, hosted in Brasilia from 18 to 23 March a World Water Day celebration will be hosted in the World Water Council pavilion. Download the agenda for the special session here. ...Read more...World Water Day Animation22 March 2018Every drop of water is on an endless journey through the sky, the soil and streams…through our lives…and back into nature. In many places, our environment is damaged, leaving us with polluted water or no water at all. Nature is green infrastructure. A system supplying us with the water we need to survive and thrive. Healthy forests and...Read more...The World Water Development Report22 March 2018Solutions inspired and supported by nature (“nature-based solutions”) use, or mimic, natural processes to address contemporary water management challenges, improve water security and deliver co-benefits vital to all aspects of sustainable development. The 2018 edition of the World Water Development Report (WWDR 2018) seeks to inform policy and decision-makers, inside and outside the water community, about the...Read more...Creative collage competition21 March 2018Are you a creative person, interested in water issues and want to participate in the World Water Day campaign? Then have a look at this initiative! What nature-based solutions do you find beneficial to overcome the various water challenges we face? Can you illustrate your vision, reflecting how these solutions may meet our water demands? Then...Read more...Happy Fish Journey21 March 2018The new Wadden Center in the Netherland is opened on #WorldWaterDay! This Wadden Center is located at the iconic Afsluitdijk (The Netherlands). It’s a center to experience the life of the Wadden Sea (Unesco World Heritage Site), stories about migratory fish and the history the iconic 32 km long Afsluitdijk. The coming years the regional...Read more...The natural world21 March 2018“My work as a body fine artist explores ideas and concepts of origins, evolution and mind sets, using the human form as a canvas. I feel strongly connected to World Water Day through my passion for education and understanding of a bigger environmental and social picture. The work created for the 2018 campaign is an...Read more...Free webinar explores nature-based solutions21 March 2018IWRA’s next new webinar on World Water Day 2018 – explores nature-based solutions for current water issues. From droughts to floods and personal water insecurity to region-wide water security tensions, this year’s theme is a call to understand and explore the role of nature in addressing and solving our water issues. The webinar topics include:...Read more...Podcast on green infrastructure21 March 2018What role will green infrastructure have in the future and what types of challenges impede its application? In line with this year’s World Water Day 2018 theme ‘Nature for Water’, Andy Narracott speaks to International Reference Centre for Community Water Supply’s (IRC) CEO Patrick Moriarty about using green infrastructure to effectively manage and conserve water...Read more...Giving nature its due21 March 2018As the recent water shortage in Cape Town, South Africa, has shown so graphically, a changing climate together with economic growth and rapid urban development are placing unprecedented stress on water resources. To achieve enduring water security requires diverse approaches that rely on nature’s bounty as well as human ingenuity. The “nature for water” theme...Read more...The 7 wetlands benefits21 March 2018Wetlands are vital for human survival. They are among the world’s most productive environments; cradles of biological diversity that provide the water and productivity upon which countless species of plants and animals depend for survival. In celebration of the World Water Day, the Ramsar Convention launch a infographic ‘the 7 Wetlands Benefits‘. Download and access...Read more...Ask me anything!21 March 2018On the occasion of this year’s World Water Day (22 March), the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, Léo Heller, is launching an online initiative for individuals and groups to ask him anything on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation. He will accept questions until 19 March...Read more...Time to resolve an old problem20 March 2018“You cannot manage what you do not measure” is a long-familiar saying to many, nowhere more so than in professional water circles at almost every level. Knowing the variability of water flows in rivers, for example, requires measurements made over time at many different locations. Observed data collection should span at least 30 years at the...Read more...In defence of potholes20 March 2018To celebrate and contribute to the important conversations prompted by the World Water Day 2018, experts from the Global Water Futures Program at the University of Saskatchewan highlight the importance of potholes. ‘Spring is just around the corner and with the warming days and thawing soils, pothole season is also upon us. Like the...Read more...Life with water20 March 2018‘Fresh water is abundant despite accounting for less than 3% of the planet’s total supply. But water is very poorly distributed. Our rivers and streams represent a vast web that nourishes the planet’s territories, yet too much of the land is forgotten. Today, more than 660 million people do not have safe drinking water and...Read more...River deltas19 March 2018The livelihoods of people living in tropical coastal deltas are being undermined by multiple insidious trends. Historically, deltas have attracted large numbers of people because they combine highly fertile land, multiple marine and freshwater resources, and rich biodiversity. Deltas are often the national ‘breadbasket’ or ‘rice bowl’. However, deltas face growing threats to their integrity...Read more...Upper river basin watersheds19 March 2018Large river basins are dynamic and complex systems. Investments and other interventions in the upper reaches of such basins naturally impact livelihoods and ecosystem services downstream. The CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) has conducted innovative research in the upper watersheds of the Ganges, Mekong, Red and Nile river basins. WLE sought...Read more...Managing a watershed19 March 2018In a bid to demonstrate the importance and applicability of integrating water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) with integrated water resources management (IWRM), IRC Uganda has produced a twelve-minute documentary, set in Rwenzori Region. The documentary highlights key issues in IWRM and how they impact on WASH. It draws on the perceptions, experiences, lessons learnt and...Read more...Wetlands – the earth’s kidneys19 March 2018Message from Martha Rojas Urrego, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, on the occasion of the World Water Day On the occasion of the World Water Day 2018, it is important to highlight the importance of wetlands to meeting our global water challenges. We cannot talk about water without talking about wetlands. Wetlands...Read more...The Aqua Republica17 March 2018What Aqua Republica aims to achieve is to use a game based approach to further the cause of sustainable development, with water as the connecting element that would promote policy-based actions that integrate climate change responses with holistic planning approaches by getting people to make decisions in a river basin and experience personally the consequences...Read more...Planting trees for fresh water15 March 2018Chilean community restores forests to increase water flows “I grew up in a lush, natural environment with abundant vegetation and fast flowing rivers. A privileged landscape, in my opinion,” explains Fabián Carrasco, president of the Rural Drinking Water Committee of Liquiñe, a rural town in the Los Ríos region of Chile. The majority of the...Read more...The Stockholm Royal Seaport15 March 2018For a long time, Stockholm has been working with ambitious urban planning objectives. Since the early 1900s, the City has worked purposefully towards set targets and built up a well-developed infrastructure for transport, energy, water and sanitation. Sweden’s ambition to put the environment on the agenda started early and contributed to Sweden and Stockholm taking...Read more...Books, journals & article collection14 March 2018“Nature-Based Solutions and similar approaches provide some of the most potent ways to manage the world’s water challenges in the face of climate change and finite water resources,” according to Rod Cookson, Managing Director of IWA Publishing. To celebrate and contribute to the important conversations prompted by the World Water Day 2018, IWA Publishing now...Read more...E-learning course on ‘Local Water Solutions’14 March 2018The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Scotland’s Centre of expertise for waters (CREW) at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow) have jointly developed the e-Learning course «Local Water Solutions for Global Challenges». The goal of the course is to build capacity on sustainable water resource management and treatment. It is intended to...Read more...The Water Games initiative14 March 2018Sustainability professionals, academics and organizations from all around the world applied social simulations and games in their areas of activity. Water Games is a joint initiative of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Centre for Systems Solutions (CRS) to celebrate the World Water Day 2018, with a number of different games addressing different water challenges. You may...Read more...I’m water action14 March 2018The I’m Water Action art festival is currently hosted in japan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the UN Observance World Water Day. The art festival is hosted from March 24 to April 15, and one may join and support the initiative on social media through the hashtags #WorldWaterDay #ImWaterAction and #WorldWaterKidsSummit...Read more...Global Water Dances14 March 2018Global Water Dances is a biennial event that took place for the fifth time in 2017 in over 100 cities across six continents. The project raises awareness about the importance of water through the art of dance and empowers local dance communities to collaborate and take action. Global Water Dances advocates for safe water everywhere...Read more...Pledge to save water!14 March 2018Singapore commemorates World Water Day with a month-long campaign to celebrate water, appreciate water and raise awareness on water conservation. PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency brings the community together to take up the “I Save” Pledge where they pledge to adopt good water saving habits and reduce their water consumption. The Opening Ceremony on 3 March...Read more...The link between forests and water13 March 2018‘I had a forest that I cleared, to create a plantation. Before clearing the forest, there was a stream flowing through my land. Our family made use of this water from the stream. When I cleared the land, this stream dried up.’ In this interview, a villager from a forest-dependent village near the Sinharajah rainforest of...Read more...Reusing raindrops13 March 2018Instead of simply wiping raindrops off our car windscreens, why not collect and reuse the water via the washer jets? Brother and sister Daniel and Lara Krohn were travelling in the family car last summer when the heavens opened. But when their dad Gerd, who was driving, tried to clear away the smears, the...Read more...World Water Day celebrations at the UN13 March 2018On World Water Day, 22 March 2018, the International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028 will be launched at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The event, led by the President of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, will feature high level participation including the...Read more...‘Project Extraordinary’13 March 2018Can one video change the course of history? Project Extraordinary is a collaboration between WiLD Studios (short form division of Natural History), WWF and UN Environment; with the mission to make sustainability extraordinary and appealing for consumers so it can be ignored no longer. Central to the project is an international award competition for advertising...Read more...The World Youth Parliament for Water6 March 2018From March 16 to 23, the World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW) will unite more than 50 young water leaders from around the world in Brasilia for its fourth General Assembly. During the week of activities, participants will challenge their knowledge and creative skills, and test their ability to achieve meaningful consensus. They will also...Read more...Water technology for agriculture5 March 2018Israel is considered a country with “absolute” water scarcity. Water management here is largely characterized by limited freshwater resources, poor natural distribution of those resources, and a growing and dispersed population. Since the early 1950s, efforts have however been invested through national water programs to promote irrigation research, efficient irrigation technologies, close monitoring of water withdrawals,...Read more...YUNGA, agents of change5 March 2018Can you imagine not using any water for a day? There is so much water in our everyday lives, it’s very easy to just take it for granted. It is usually only once rains stop and fresh water supplies dry up or are polluted that we remember we can’t afford to use water without thinking about how to...Read more...England on crusade against waste from plastic bottles5 March 2018The national scheme aims to fight the growing scourge of waste created by single-use plastic by preventing the use of tens of millions of plastic bottles every year, as well as increasing the availability of quality drinking water. Free refill points and fountains will be set up in shops, cafes and high streets in every...Read more...Leave no one behind – the water gap5 March 2018The water crisis affects the poorest most – from slums to remote rural communities, refugee camps and disaster-prone communities, and particularly those marginalised by income, gender, caste, age or disability. As a result, the poorest live and die in conditions unthinkable to us in the developed world, unseen and unheard. For this year’s World Water...Read more...Let’s #Connect2Earth!5 March 2018Each year millions of people, businesses, and landmarks set aside an hour to host events, switch off their lights, and generally make noise to shine a light on the need to connect too earth – the Earth Hour. This year, Earth Hour sweeps across twenty-four time zones and six continents at 8:30pm on 24 March...Read more...The Lake Winnipeg Watershed5 March 2018In Manitoba and in the Lake Winnipeg basin, the climate has always been variable, with times of high spring runoff, unpredictable high rainfall and droughts—and climate change is exacerbating the issue. For the past decade, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) has been working on multi-functional wetlands to address flooding, drought, and nutrient issues...Read more...The benefits of urban agriculture5 March 2018Towns and cities in the world’s developing countries are growing on an unprecedented scale. Most of the world’s fastest growing cities are found in low-income countries of Asia and Africa with young populations. Further, the growth of urban slums outpaces urban growth by a wide margin. By 2020, the proportion of the urban population living in...Read more...Online training on science communications4 March 2018On World Water Day, the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education will launch a new online training on science communications for researchers coming from Nile Basin countries. This training is part of the Open Water Diplomacy Lab project, funded by the Dutch government. Following the online training, researchers will be able to develop a communications plan to...Read more...Meet up on Wikipedia!1 March 2018Interested in public education? The Wikipedia article about “water pollution” gets around 6000 views per day. Is the content of that article to your satisfaction? Or could it be improved? The Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) could use your help in upgrading information all those curious readers will find when they go to Wikipedia around 22 March 2018....Read more...The wetlands of Patagonia23 February 2018Gabriel Mejia was the winner of the Global Wetlands Youth Photo Contest 2017, themed “wetlands that help us cope with extreme weather events.” An avid explorer, Gabriel decided to use his main prize, a free flight, to travel and visit the Glaciar Vinciguerra y Turberas Asociadas Ramsar Site in Argentina. He recounts his adventures and...Read more...The value of wetlands9 February 2018Why are wetlands at the center of a series of valuable ecosystem services? UNU-INWEH’s new book ‘Multi-functional Wetlands; Pollution Abatement and Other Ecological Services from Natural and Constructed Wetlands‘ provides a unique view on how planners and ecosystem managers can increase the value of wetlands as/for nature based solutions. Learn more about these that ecosystems are gaining...Read more...Wetlands on Sri Lanka7 February 2018How much do we depend on wetlands in Colombo? The canals of Colombo are connected to a system of lakes and wetlands that weave through the city. And it’s bigger than most people realize. In fact, this unique wetland complex has a total estimated area of over 56,000 acres in the quickly growing Sri Lankan capital....Read more...The Youth Xchange project31 January 2018Today, young people under the age of 25 are the largest generation of youth in human history. They represent half of the world’s population, living mostly in developing countries. Young men and women are already driving change across the world. As promoting sustainable consumption is more urgent than ever, the energy, motivation and creativity of...Read more...Nature’s contributions to people27 January 2018Writing in the journal Science, thirty global experts associated with the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), have presented an innovative new approach: the idea of using all of nature’s contributions to people to inform policies and decisions. “Nature’s contributions to people are of critical importance to rich and poor in developed and...Read more...Games for sustainability26 January 2018In recent years, scientists have begun using games as a way to provide communities opportunities to experience social dilemmas related to the governance of common resources. The games simulate real-life decision making, such as selecting the most efficient irrigation techniques and the best crops for a certain area, and they can be used as an...Read more...Drowning in pollution25 January 2018The term “pollution” comes from the Latin verb “polluere”, which means to dishonour or defile. Since ancient times, human beings have been polluting and defiling both nature and humanity, and lately we have begun calling this pollution “externalities”. Today, more than one third of fish and seafood contains plastic, while 80 per cent of the...Read more...Plant for the planet24 January 2018Trees are more significant than many of us might imagine. They commemorate births and lives lived. They beautify slums, farms and grand avenues. They provide shade, oxygen, and delight. They cool the Earth. Inspired by the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first United Nations global tree-planting campaign was met with more enthusiasm than...Read more...Using the Airbnb model24 January 2018Climate change might alter natural wetlands and when and where birds migrate. There is a surge in demand for protected land when migratory birds are passing through an area or a threatened species is breeding. Conservationists are now creating “pop-up nature reserves” on idle land, using the Airbnb economic model. New programs are preserving land...Read more...Why wetlands are essential23 January 2018Urbanization is one of the key defining mega-trends of our time. It’s completely transforming where and how people will live in the future. In fact it is estimated that the number of mega-cities with more than ten million inhabitants will jump from 31 to 41 by 2030. Today`s current development of human settlements is a...Read more...Protecting our freshwater ecosystems9 January 2018Over the past 40 years, freshwater species populations have declined by 81% – more than double the rates seen in species both on land and in the oceans. Freshwater ecosystems are essential for human life, health and livelihoods – as they provide our water for drinking, food, industry and energy. In addition to their productive...Read more...Water pollution from agriculture5 January 2018Water pollution is a global challenge that has increased in both developed and developing countries, undermining economic growth as well as the physical and environmental health of billions of people. Human settlements, industries and agriculture are the major sources of water pollution. Globally, 80 percent of municipal wastewater is discharged into water bodies untreated, and industry is responsible for...Read more...The World Water Day challenge4 January 2018This World Water Day, the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG) are launching a competition with the idea of educating communities around the world on the importance of protecting water sources. Why not get your local community involved? The project must improve the quality of water and/or awareness of this issue in YOUR community....Read more...Urban wetlands make cities liveable4 January 2018In 2017, more than half of the global population live in towns and cities. By 2050, that proportion is expected to rise to two-thirds. Urban wetlands have many benefits and are important to make cities liveable. For example by: Reduce flooding Replenish drinking water Filter waste and improve water quality Improve urban air quality Promote human...Read more...To all lovers of photography3 January 2018The Lions Club of Seregno is organising the second edition of the “World Water Day 22 March 2018 Photo Contest” to draw attention to global water issues, with special focus on access to good water. The competition is open to all lovers of photography and to all supporters of environmental issues and is based on the...Read more...Happy fish 4 December 2017Many migratory fish species are severely threatened. The main causes are man-made obstacles like dams, weirs and sluices, which disrupt the natural flow of rivers and prevent fish migration. Migratory fish make up a crucial link in the food chain and play an important role in healthy and productive river systems. Furthermore, they provide an...Read more...Art for water3 December 2017Through the AGUA exhibition, artists are communicating our collective responsibility towards water. AGUA is currently making its way around the world, featuring the work of 23 participating artists. The exhibition aims to raise public awareness of the notion of interdependence, essential to the conservation of our environment and to the future of our planet. When...Read more...Global photography exhibit2 December 2017Clean Water Here announces its partnership with 1x.com to create a global photography exhibit documenting the need for safe drinking water. Twelve photographers will be selected by world-renowned jurors: Martin Schoeller, Kristen Ashburn and Robert Clark. The selected photographers will be exhibited in the UN headquarters in New York City for two weeks, starting on...Read more...The Mediterranean water heroes1 December 2017The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the most water scarce region in the world, and numerous phenomena are further worsening water security in the region, notably climate change and environmental factors (soil erosion, deforestation, water pollution), population growth, increased urbanization, ongoing water mismanagement and faulty water service provision systems. The Center for...Read more...The Swan Lake27 November 2017The water in El Lago Del Cisne (the Swan Lake), in Colombia, had become so polluted it lost its ability to reflect the sky. A restoration project by the environmental authority used biotechnology to treat the wastewater that was entering the lake, and after a year the wildlife has returned to the ecosystem. This incredible...Read more...Making a sea change27 November 2017Sea Change is an EU-funded project to change the way European citizens view their relationship with the sea. The aim is to create ‘Ocean Literate’ citizens who feel empowered to take direct and sustainable action to support the health of the ocean, communities and the planet as a whole. Learn more here. Photo credits:...Read more...Valuing nature’s water infrastructure25 November 2017Water-related ecosystem services perform an infrastructure-like function, such as wetlands filtering contaminated water, mangroves protecting shorelines from extreme weather events, floodplains absorbing excessive storm waters and lakes storing large water supplies. Yet, they are not built infrastructure; these natural water infrastructures are shaped, grown, eroded, or deposited by nature. Natural infrastructure provides services that underpin...Read more...What’s your water footprint?24 November 2017Think you only consume a few glasses of water a day? Think again. The ‘water footprint’ of the average American is 32,911 glasses per day, according to an infographic by the Nature Conservancy and the Water Footprint Network. Where is all this water? It’s ‘hidden’ inside the food we eat, clothes we wear and more....Read more...What force of nature are you?23 November 2017In this quiz by Conservation International, you can find out what Mother Nature thinks about you. Access the quiz here. Photo by Josh Sorenson / CC0...Read more...Nature is calling22 November 2017In this series of short films made by Conservation International, nature is given a voice to raise awareness that people need it in order to survive. Jan Chen, Lee Pace, Reese Witherspoon, Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Edward Norton, Penelope Cruz, Robert Redford, Ian Somerhalder, Lupita Nyong’o all join forces to speak on behalf...Read more...Human rights and water resources21 November 2017As pressure on the world’s freshwater resources increase, many river basins will face both increasing freshwater scarcity and increasing pollution. As this happens, organizations with responsibilities for integrated water resources management will face tough challenges. The many competing — and sometimes conflicting — demands on water resources will give rise to questions of equity and...Read more...Managing solutions in Tanzania21 November 2017Water is critical to a country’s economic fortunes. The latest Tanzania Economic Update, published by the World Bank, describes the urgent need for better water resource management to help Tanzania’s development. For instance, the Great Ruaha river is a shadow of its former self, running dry for several months each year. With its wet season...Read more...What are Nature-based Solutions?20 November 2017The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) define Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. NbS are intended to support the achievement of society’s development goals and are designed to address major...Read more...The COLUMBUS project19 November 2017The COLUMBUS project is about ensuring that the European Commission’s investment in marine and maritime research translates into sustainable growth in those sectors. Learn more about this vital process of knowledge transfer here. Photo credit: Foter.com...Read more...Make every drop count18 November 2017In Singapore, the Singapore World Water Day is celebrated throughout the month of March to rally the community to show their appreciation for water and reinforce the importance of adopting the five water saving tips. “Make Every Drop Count”, the theme for Singapore World Water Day 2018 continues to underpin the focus on collective efforts...Read more...
