SWIM-SM has conducted a 3-day regional training to develop the capacity of national and local water practitioners from the Partner Countries (PCs) to undertake immediate precautionary measures towards the adaptation of the water sector to potential negative impacts of climate change.

The training was organized by the Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med), member of the SWIM-SM consortium, in cooperation with the Horizon 2020 Capacity Building component and addressed the following specific learning objective:
1)    Raise the awareness of the participants on the potential impacts of climate changes on water resources in the region, its socio-economic and environmental consequences,
2)    Increase their understanding on the degree of vulnerability particularly to increasing drought and flood events,
3)    Make the case for adopting the no-regret actions approach as the appropriate and immediate means for the water sector to adapt to climate change,
4)    Introduce appropriate approaches for planning, strategizing and developing no-regret actions measures, plans and policies, with a special focus on drought and flood management-
5)    Review capacity, political commitments and measures needed for the creation of an enabling environment for the implementation of no-regret actions including institutional, legislative and financial needs
6)    Identify and discuss appropriate approach and practices for mainstreaming no-regret actions into IWRM policy frameworks
7)    Identify the optimal communication and public participation strategies to enhance the role of communities in designing and implementing no-regret water management measures.

Information Note

Training's materials:

- Presentations:

--Sessions 1-3

--Sessions 4-6

--Sessions 7-9

- Handouts

- Exercises

Final report


 

SWIM-SM has convened a training workshop entitled “Training of Government Officials on the Preparation of Water Plans/Strategies” in Athens, Greece on the 10 and 11 of September 2012. This activity was carried out in synergy with the EC funded “H2020 Capacity Building –Mediterranean Environment Programme (H2020 CB/MEP)”.

The overarching objective of the workshop was to expand the capacity of water and environment stakeholders in the SWIM Partner Countries (PCs) in developing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) plans and strategies.

The specific objectives of the training was to introduce mainstreaming and participation as basic measures in planning and implementing IWRM through informing and training government water officials and stakeholders from PCs on the following:

1- Best practices and success stories from countries of the region with emphasis on reasons behind success and achievement of target objectives,

2- Main constraints and challenges hindering proper planning and failure in implementing sustainable water resources management within IWRM context,

3- Common gaps encountered in PCs and the appropriate measures to bridge them,

4- Available opportunities and means to improve these prospects for the advancement of water resources planning and management,

This activity was part of the tasks foreseen under SWIM-SM towards developing mechanisms and building capacity of PCs on sustainable water resources management policies and practices.

For additional information: Information Note

A Regional workshop on Planning of Water Resources in SWIM-SM Countries has been organized in Athens on 13-14 June 2012 with the following objectives:

(a) Review, discuss, complement and validate the findings of a regional review of national water plans and/or strategies realized in the framework of SWIM-SM activities with the view of suggesting a series of policy options for further actions towards mainstreaming water resources management in non-water sectors.
(b) Discuss degree of success and achievements of PCs in planning and implementing IWRM principles such as level of participation of stakeholders, horizontal coordination, gender balance, institutional and legislative reforms, etc.
(c) Deliberate the main constraints, shortcomings, and main gaps facing proper implementation of IWRM principles and the most applicable measures to bridge these gaps.
(d) Discuss the main challenges to sustainable water resources management such as population growth, urbanization, climate change, inadequate financing, etc. and identify measures to overcome these challenges.
(e) Examine available opportunities, discuss and agree on a series of measures, policy options and propose further measures to expedite implementation of IWRM principles with a main focus on mainstreaming sustainable water resources management in non-water sectors.

For more information

Information Note

Press Release: AR, EN, FR

Four (4) National Information Workshops targeting journalists and information professionals in Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia were recently organized in order to introduce to them the SWIM Programme.

The workshops involved  40 journalists working for broadcast, print or online media and the sessions included interventions of experts from both SWIM Components, i.e. the Support Mechanism and the Demonstration Projects, particularly those that will implement activities in the four specific countries.

The workshops contributed to increase the understanding of participants about critical water management challenges facing the Mediterranean countries and possible solutions at focus in SWIM, as well as to build in each country a core group of information professionals that might follow-up closely the implementation and achievements of the Programme and inform accordingly their audiences.

Press Note: AR, EN, FR


The 1st Meeting of the Core Desalination Group (CDG) set-up in the framework of SWIM-SM took place in Athens on 11-12 June 2012 with the objectives to:
(a) Review, discuss and validate the findings of a SWIM-SM assessment on Desalination Best Available Technologies (BATs) in Rural and Local Areas;
(b) Discuss the necessity for the formulation of a regional vision and strategic plan for desalination tacking stock of existing knowledge and good practices, including previous assessments by UNEP and UNEP MAP, EC funded projects on techno-economic potential on combined solar power desalination plants, work of specialized organizations, etc.;
(c) To establish a dialogue with national desalination experts on desalination BAT applicable to the region;

For more information:

Information Note

Press Release: AR, EN, FR

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