Photo: Marisa04/Pixabay
Despite their outsized benefits to society, climate, biodiversity, and economies, freshwater ecosystems are persistently undervalued in political and economic decision-making. As the cascading impacts of the climate crisis on freshwater ecosystems become increasingly apparent, it is urgent for countries to step up efforts to protect these invaluable systems.
In March this year, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted the first ever resolution dedicated to lakes. Stuart Crane, a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) expert on freshwater ecosystems, sheds light on what the resolution on sustainable management resolution is and what it can achieve.
Despite their immense importance to coastal communities, mangrove habitats worldwide are declining at an alarming rate. This International Mangrove Day, let’s take action to conserve and restore these valuable ecosystems.
The recent Status Report on the Implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in the Arab Region reveals a keen need for accelerated action. This webinar on July 26th will inform on the report’s key findings, discuss the key enablers for IWRM implementation, and lay out the support available to countries in reporting, planning, and implementing IWRM.
Over the past decades, innovations like synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides have helped humanity dramatically increase the amount of food it grows. Now, a continual decline of the world’s freshwater reserves is beginning to threaten this time of plenty.
Nature-based solutions for flash flood mitigation, early warning systems for macroplastic litter in rivers, matchmaking between water managers and water technology solution providers… see our project highlights in our brand-new Newsletter.
UNEP-DHI is contributing to a side-event at the UN Ocean Conference to highlight the importance of data for decision making. The event focuses on the need for a global Integrated Marine Debris Observing System (IMDOS) to address critical knowledge gaps and promote international action.
The UNEP-DHI centre is a long-term partner of the United Nations Environment Programme, providing cutting-edge technical expertise to aid the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water. Gareth James Lloyd, the centre’s deputy Chief Manager, explains how UNEP-DHI came to being, and why it’s work on freshwater ecosystems is critical for UNEP.
Lakes are invaluable to human and ecosystem health. They contain 90% of the planet’s surface freshwater, provide a home to wildlife, sustain livelihoods, and mitigate climate change. However, due to climate change, pollution, and other factors, the extent and health of lakes worldwide is declining rapidly. Sustainable management of lakes must be part of the solution.
Drought is among the most destructive of natural disasters, leading to widescale crop failures, wildfires, and water stress. UNEP-DHI is collaborating with UNCCD to develop drought monitoring and early warning tools to design better response.
Interlocking problems of illegal logging, deforestation, land degradation, and climate change exacerbate the risk of devastating flooding in Somalia. Ahead of flash flood season, UNEP-DHI has released a study to aid flood management using nature-based solutions.
This report, a culmination of cooperation between the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and UNEP-DHI, provides a progress update on implementing IWRM in the Arab region and identifies priority areas that will help accelerate full implementation.
UNEP-DHI Centre on Water and Environment
Agern Allé 5, 2970 Denmark
Tel: +45 45169200