UNESCO IHP workshop on GDE Madrid 5-6 juli 2011

Изображение

IGRAC participated in the UNESCO-IHP Experts Meeting on "Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems" (with a focus on coastal groundwater dependent ecosystems in the Mediterranean) hosted by IGME, Madrid, Spain on 5-6 July 2011.

Objectives of the meeting

  • To review existing methodologies, approaches and case studies on ecohydrological management of groundwater dependent ecosystems, especially in critical areas (arid zones, coastal areas, small islands)
  • To identify best practices, risk assessment methods and strategies to mitigate climate change impacts on GWDE
  • To identify existing gaps in research and to propose management and policy recommendations for GWDE management and protection
  • To identify expertise and contributions for a collaborative publication on GWDE (methodologies, case studies, etc) and establish an international group of experts
  • In the framework of the GEF UNEP/MAP Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (MedPartnership) and UNESCO-IHP's Sub-component on "Management of Coastal Aquifer and Groundwater", to discuss a series of activities on "Hydrological Management of Groundwater Dependent
  • Coastal Wetlands" and explore the requirements for a regional inventory of coastal GWDE in the Mediterranean
  • To present the Target 3.1.2 of the 6th World Water Forum (Marseille, March 2012) on the topic of coastal waters and ecosystems and to receive expressions of interest for contributions

IGRAC's involvement

IGRAC moderated a session with presentations illustrating various GWDE case studies and addressing various technical and governance aspects of GWDE management followed by a plenary discussion. Furthermore, IGRAC contributed actively to the formulation of a number of science-policy interface recommendations on the topic of GWDE. It is assumed that these recommendation will be useful for the Medpartnership project and for the Task and Solution Group on the Word Water forum  topic of coastal waters and ecosystems. The recommendations will be shared shortly by UNESCO-IHP.