N E W S L E T T E R N o 4 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 3
Dear GIWA friends,
Through the work of more than a thou-
sand experts worldwide the GIWA as-
Three regions complete
sessment on environmental problems
in international waters is coming to
The Amazon Basin, the largest drainage basin on the planet,
the finalizing stage. We have now
shared by seven countries.
produced the fi rst volume of our re-
port on three diverse water regions
The Caspian Sea, the largest land-locked water body on earth, bordered
in the world. I am proud to see the im-
by fi ve countries and infl uenced by three more in the catchment area.
pressive amount of important informa-
The Indian Ocean Islands, includes four island states and one of two
tion in these reports and I expect it wil
oceanic assessment areas.
lead to wise decisions by stakeholders
engaged in the future for the involved
countries.
These three geographically and socially diverse
The GIWA assessment has brought
regions are the fi rst to have completed the Global
together many experts across national
International Waters Assessment and their results
borders for the future of water, which
were presented during the Stockholm Water Sym-
has become one of the major goals of
posium.
international work, highly prioritized
­ I am pleased to present the results from
in the Mil ennium Development Goals
this global assessment,
and at the WSSD meeting in South
Africa last year. By supporting GIWA
says Dag Daler, Scientifi c
the Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian
Director at GIWA. This
governments also shares the concern
is the first time that the
for these eff orts to reduce water stress
entire world's waters are
in the world. GIWA will now carry on
Dag Daler, GIWA, (second right) proudly introduced the fi rst GIWA
judged by the same crite-
report to Dr Javier Aparicio, Professor Olof Lindén,Professor em.
presenting important results region
Gotthilf Hempel and Director Stephen Lonergan.
ria. Since water issues are
by region, primarily for water areas
Stephen Lonergan, UNEP-
at of priority concern in
The results from other water regions in Africa, Asia
in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The
DEWA Director, the new
methodology used is permitting our
international work today
and Latin America wil be fi nalized by GIWA within
Chairman of the GIWA steer-
experts collaborate for the water is-
ing group, said water issues
the GIWA results are wel-
a year. Around 1000 experts around the world are
must be addressed from
sues, overruling the national interests,
multiple perspectives.
comed by many.
contributing to the GIWA assessment.
and I am certain that this network wil
continue also after the regional GIWA
assessment is completed.
Africa is a continent where water
Swedish Minister
stress aff ects more people than in the
rest of the world. The GIWA assessment
visits GIWA
done in the water areas of Sub Saharan
Africa is now being concluded and we
Jan O Karlsson, the Swedish Minister for Devel-
wil bring forward these reports shortly.
opment Cooperation, Migration and Asylum
It is our sincere hope that our network
Policy, visited GIWA in Kalmar recently. Minis-
of experts and the clear methodology
ter Karlsson met members of the Core Team
used to identify the problems, to fi nd
and learned about the GIWA methodology and
the root causes and to present policy
the fi rst regional results. He expressed satisfac-
options will bring solutions to the
tion for the holistic approach the assessment
many Africans suff ering from too little
or bad water.
takes. He also said Kalmar Municipality and the
University of Kalmar are excel ent hosts for the The Swedish Minister Jan O Karlsson had fruitful discussions with GIWA
Dag Daler, Scientifi c Director
Coordination Offi ce.
Co-ordinator Juan Carlos Belausteguigoitia.

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Experts welcome
the GIWA results
Experts from different parts of
the world participated when
GIWA held a seminar during the
World Water Week in Stockholm
Global Databases
on August 15. The importance of
Two GIWA experts in GIS applications are
dealing with transboundary wa-
Niklas Holmgren at the Core Team in Kal-
ter issues was underlined by the
mar and Carlos Brieva, Instituto Argentino
speakers, who all welcomed the
de Recursos Hídricos, working with the as-
results of the GIWA assessment.
sessment in the Patagonian Shelf. When
meeting in Stockholm for the GIWA semi-
-If we don't meet the Mil ennium
nar in August how to use the databases to
Development Goals with respect to Edgar Arias, Maria Albar, Rolph Payet and Carlos Brieva, four GIWA experts, pre-
be included in the region 38 report.
water and sanitation we don't meet sented the assessment in their regions.
High quality mapping and geographical
the other goals either, said Stephen Lonergan, oceanic area and Dr Payet stated that unsus-
information systems (GIS) are important in
new Director of UNEP-DEWA and also new tainable exploitation of fi sheries is the major
the finalizing stage of the GIWA reports.
Chairman of the GIWA steering group.
area of concern.
Large amounts of information is assembled
He stressed that water issues must be ad-
Francisco A. Arias-Isaza from Colombia,
in databases and presented for each region
dressed from multiple perspectives and dis-
participating in the Caribbean Sea assessment,
in maps and other graphics.
cussed water projects he has worked with in said habitat and community modifi cation is the
Free global data suitable for all kinds
the Middle East.
prime concern there. In the Gulf of Guinea, pre-
of large scale assessments for GIS (Geo-
Dr Javier Aparicio from the Mexican Ministry sented by Per Bogelund Hansen from UNEP Col-
graphic Information Systems) and statis-
of Environment confi rmed that transboundary laborating Centre on Water and Environment,
tics are now collected and linked through
waters need the results from GIWA to establish the assessment places freshwater shortage as
www.giwa.net. Examples are river discharg-
priority concerns for actions. Colorado River be-
the major problem. Carlos Brieva spoke on the
es, fi sh catches, pesticide consumption, to-
tween Mexico and the US is one of the most assessment in the Patagonian Shelf where ex-
pology, population density, illiteracy, GDP
exploited rivers in the world and according to ploitation of fi sheries and loss of ecosystems
and eco-regions for all parts of the world.
Dr Aparicio GIWA will give important policy are major concerns. Maria Albar from the World
options for the future of this river and others Wildlife Fund for Nature in Mexico represented
along the border.
Internship
the Gulf of California underlined the need for
Representing one of the regions in the policy option concerning water rights.
Mil icent Mrema from Tanzania, studying
fi rst volume of the GIWA assessment was Dr
Water Resources Science at the University
Rolph Payet from the Ministry of Environent in In the fol owing discussion chaired by the GIWA
of Minnesota in the USA has worked as
the Seychel es. The Indian Ocean Islands is an Ambassador Professor Emeritus Gotthilf Hem-
an intern at the GIWA Core Team during
pel issues concerning the dissemination of re-
the summer.
sults were discussed. The panel included the
speakers and also professor Jing Zhang from
Upcoming events
East China Normal University in Shanghai, Dr
15­18 September, St Michielsgestel,
Seng-Keh Teng, Coastal Management Center
The Netherlands: MTM IV Monitoring
in Singapore, Amadou Saine from Gambia
Tailor Made IV
and Niel Henrik Ipsen from UCC Water and En-
vironment. The three coordinators at the GIWA
4­5 November, Stavanger, Norway: Wa-
Core Team Elina Rautalathi-Miettinen, Juan Car-
ter for the Poorest - Conference
los Belausteguigoitia and Edith Mussukuya al
9­14 December, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:
agreed that the global GIWA network of experts
Professor Jing Zhang from Shanghai and Dr Seng-Keh Teng
Pan-African Conference on Water
from Singapore discussed during a coffee break.
must continue.
GIWA Co-ordination Offi ce
Web Site: www.giwa.net E-mail: info@giwa.net
Postal Address: Global International Waters Assessment, GIWA
Telephone Secretariat: +46 480 44 73 53
SE-391 82 Kalmar, Sweden
Fax: +46 480 44 73 55

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