Agriculture’s important role in climate action
07 November 2019
Reducing agricultural emissions of short-lived climate pollutants, like methane and black carbon, is vital if the world is to keep warming to 1.5˚ Celsius by the end of the century. Agriculture and forestry are responsible for 24% of all greenhouse gases emitted worldwide, including roughly 40% of global black carbon emissions and half of all man-made methane emissions.
https://ccacoalition.org/en/news/agriculture%E2%80%99s-important-role-climate-action
 

Brazil Cancels Decree Barring Sugarcane Cultivation in the Amazon
06 November 2019
Brazil has cancelled a 10-year-old ban on sugarcane cultivation in its Amazon rainforest and central wetlands, the government gazette said on Wednesday, a move environmentalists criticized as another assault on the country's sensitive ecosystems.
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2019/11/06/world/americas/06reuters-brazil-environment-agriculture.html

 
[Top] 

CLIMATE CHANGE 








Climate change deniers’ new battle front attacked
09 November 2019
The battle between climate change deniers and the environment movement has entered a new, pernicious phase. That is the stark warning of one of the world’s leading climate experts, Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/nov/09/doomism-new-tactic-fossil-fuel-lobby

 

Greta Thunberg speaks at climate change strike in Charlotte
09 November 2019
Sixteen-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg has told a crowd in North Carolina that climate change needs to be tackled "right now.'' Thunberg urged the crowd to "unite behind science'' and demand leaders to take responsibility. The Swedish teenager has been traveling across the U.S. since delivering a passionate speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in September demanding that world leaders do more to combat global warming.
https://www.witn.com/content/news/Greta-Thunberg-speaks-at-climate-change-strike-in-Charlotte-564701841.html
 

Forests and passion: a hero's guide to resisting climate change
08 November 2019
The Seychelles is a nation of 115 islands—known for glistening beaches and stunning biodiversity—off the east coast of Africa. Here climate change is not a distant prospect, but a daily reality. It’s unknown how the Seychelles will adapt. More than 16 percent of the nation’s land is below 5 meters above sea level, yet a study in the journal Nature suggests Antarctic ice alone could increase sea levels by 15 meters by 2500.

https://www.thegef.org/news/forests-and-passion-heros-guide-resisting-climate-change 

[Top] 

DROUGHTS 





East China province ups emergency response amid unrelenting drought
09 November 2019
East China's Anhui Province on Saturday raised its drought emergency response to level III as the worst dry spell in decades showed no signs of abating and threatened many areas with short water supplies and high risks of forest fire.
https://reliefweb.int/report/china/east-china-province-ups-emergency-response-amid-unrelenting-drought
 

Honey Prices to Skyrocket as Bees, Flowers Die in Drought
09 November 2019
This could be "the worst season on record" for Australian honey, with beekeepers saying climate change has killed off their hives and the flowers they rely on.
https://10daily.com.au/news/australia/a191108bgecp/honey-prices-to-skyrocket-as-bees-flowers-die-in-drought-20191110
 

South African drought situation highlights climate change concerns felt even in Belize
08 November 2019
This week, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) premiered a short video detailing the severe drought conditions in the South African town of Graaff-Reinet, the effect is has had on residents and what their situation could mean for the rest of the world.
https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2019/11/08/south-african-drought-situation-highlights-climate-change-concerns-felt-even-in-belize/ 

[Top] 

 FLOODS






Midlands devastated by 'biblical' flooding that's left streets waist-deep in water
09 November 2019
Severe warnings remain in place for the flood-hit North and Midlands after devastating torrents left streets waist-deep in water - but other parts of the country will delight in a 'nice day ahead', forecasters say.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7667635/Travel-chaos-North-Midlands-devastated-biblical-flooding.html
 

WFP Airlifts Kenyan Government relief food
09 November 2019
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) began on Saturday airlifting Government of Kenya relief food and supplies to areas cut off by widespread flooding.
https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-airlifts-kenyan-government-relief-food-floods-cut-major-roads-parts-country
 

Germany supports humanitarian activities and flood response
08 November 2019
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a €10 million (US$10.9 million) contribution from Germany to support life-saving humanitarian and recovery activities as well as the current response to widespread flooding in South Sudan.
https://www.wfp.org/news/germany-supports-humanitarian-activities-and-flood-response-south-sudan

[Top]

FOOD SECURITY 
 





 

WFP, Partners to Strengthen Food Security, Disaster Risk Reduction
11 November 2019
The World Food Program (WFP), Government of Liberia (GoL) and partners recently conducted a two-day Integrated Context Analysis (ICA) technical and programmatic consultation seminar in Monrovia aimed at strengthening the design, planning and implementation of food security programs as well as disaster risk reduction and preparedness.
https://www.liberianobserver.com/news/wfp-partners-to-strengthen-food-security-disaster-risk-reduction/
 

MoHAP and UAE’s Food Security Office launch National Nutrition Guideline
09 November 2019
The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, has launched, in collaboration with the UAE’s Food Security Office, the National Nutrition Guideline as part of the efforts exerted to develop food safety systems in sustainable ways, find out radical solutions to health challenges and achieve the innovation-based food security especially for the strategic trend related to the improvement of nutrition systems.
https://wam.ae/en/details/1395302801275
 

More than one in three in Haiti need urgent food aid— UN
09 November 2019
More than a third of Haitians are facing "severe food insecurity", sparked by price hikes, dwindling agricultural production and widespread social unrest, the UN's World Food Programme warned Friday.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/More_than_one_in_three_in_Haiti_need_urgent_food_aid

[Top]

IRRIGATION






Watering doesn’t end with fall, but irrigation systems need to be winterized
09 November 2019
You should not be using your sprinkler system any longer this year, and it is best to get it serviced as soon as possible. Compressed air is used to blow excess water out of the system, since just shutting the water off to the irrigation system and letting it drain is generally not enough to rid the system of water and prevent winter damage.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/ct-life-1114-garden-qa-20191109-fbny3ypz4be4bjerbl5n5lenli-story.html
 

Egypt to use modern irrigation systems to cope with water scarcity: minister
10 November 2019
Egyptian Minister of Agriculture Ezz El-Din Abu Steit said on Saturday that the government has "ambitious plans" to use modern irrigation systems to cope with water scarcity.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-11/10/c_138542908.htm
 

Water released from Vaigai and Maruthanadhi dams
10 November 2019
India - Water from Vaigai dam was released for irrigation of 1,36,109 acres of traditional ayacut lands in Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts, here on Saturday.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/water-released-from-vaigai-and-maruthanadhi-dams/article29932923.ece 

[Top]

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 






Ghana government asked to find alternative to plastic menace
10 November 2019
Participants at the 30th Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) conference have tasked government to urgently find solutions to the plastic menace to save the environment and its associated health hazards to humanity.
https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2019/11/10/ghana-government-asked-to-find-alternative-to-plastic-menace/
 

Over 17 lakh people evacuated as cyclone ‘Bulbul’ approaches Bangladesh
09 November 2019
“A total of 17,36,174 people have been evacuated from their homes and taken to 5,551 cyclone shelters in 14 coastal districts due to the cyclone,” State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Md Enamur Rahman told The Daily Star.
https://www.thedailystar.net/country/news/cyclone-bulbul-people-being-evacuated-coastal-areas-1825096
 

Saving soil: ICAR organizes global conference in Delhi
10 November 2019
A five day-long “International Conference on Soil and Water Resources Management for Climate Smart Agriculture and Global Food and Livelihood Security” was inaugurated at the National Agricultural Science Centre Complex in New Delhi on Tuesday. Dr.Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) inaugurated the global event.
http://www.indiancooperative.com/agriculture-2/saving-soil-icar-organizes-global-conference-in-delhi/
 

[Top]

Association Fran'aise pour l'Etude des Irrigations et du Drainage (AFEID), is organizing a two-day Conference on “Water Savings in Irrigation” from 13-14 November 2019 at Montpellier, France.
The objectives of the Conference are : (a) Exchange around the levers of water-saving and efficiency improvements in irrigation; (b) Share the quantitative feedback on water savings achieved by a change of equipment or the adoption of piloting tools in the different EU countries; (c) Share the methodologies used in the various European countries for the ex-ante evaluation of potential water savings; present the French methodology established at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture; and (d) present technical innovations to save water in irrigation.
For further information on program, registration, submission of abstract etc., please visit the conference website: https://watersaving.sciencesconf.org

The International Conference on Food, Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA),
1-3 December 2019, Cairo, Egypt; Ms. Sara Youssef Conference Coordinator fnssa@food-conference.org,
Website: https://www.food-conference.org/events/food-nutrition-security-and-sustainable-agriculture-1st#objectiveoftheconferencehttps://www.food-conference.org/events/food-nutrition-security-and-sustainable-agriculture-1st#objectiveoftheconference

Water Pollution 2020: 15th International Conference on Monitoring, Modelling and Management of Water Pollution, 13-15 May 2020, Valencia, Spain. For more details, please visit: https://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2020-conferences/water-pollution-2020; Email: wit@wessex.ac.uk

24th ICID International Congress & 71st IEC Meeting, 22-28 September 2020, Sydney, Australia
Website: http://www.icid2020.com.au

MinWat 2020: 3rd International Multidisciplinary Conference on Mineral Waters: Genesis, Exploitation, Protection and Valorisation, 31 March-3 April 2020, Caserta, Italy. For more details, please visit: https://iah.org/events/minwat-2020; Email: segratario@iahitaly.it

6th IWA International Symposium on Water, Wastewater and Environment in Ancient Civilizations: Traditions and Cultures
28-30 April 2020
the 6th IWA International Symposium which will be Co-organized by the Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey and the Hellenic Open University, Patra, Greece. It will take place at the Bogazici University (28 & 29 April) and in the Conference Hall of the Theological School of Halki in the island of Heybeliada, Istanbul, Turkey (30 April).
https://iwa-network.org/events/iwa-regional-symposium-on-water-wastewater-and-environment-traditions-and-cultures/
 

24th ICID International Congress & 71st IEC Meeting, 22-28 September 2020, Sydney, Australia. For more info contact: Mr. Bryan Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Irrigation’s Australia Limited (IAL) (Incorporating IACID); Email: bryan.ward@irrigation.org.au, info@irrigation.org.au; Website: http://www.icid2020.com.au

 [Top]

Water–energy–food nexus
With a view to drawing attention to the interrelated nature of global resource systems, FAO is exploring how the water–energy–food nexus can support food security and sustainable agriculture worldwide. Population growth, rapid urbanization, changing diets and economic development are just some of the factors driving increased demand for water, energy and food. Agriculture is the largest consumer of the world's freshwater resources, and more than one-quarter of the energy used globally is expended on food production and supply. Feeding a global population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050 will require a 60 percent increase in food production.
http://www.fao.org/land-water/water/watergovernance/waterfoodenergynexus/en/