News archive

Click here for latest news and announcements.

IPCC statement on the melting of Himalayan glaciers ()
The conclusion as stated in the Synthesis Report, the concluding document of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is robust, appropriate, and entirely consistent with the underlying science and the broader IPCC assessment. read more

Understanding and Reducing the Risks of Climate Change for Transboundary Waters ()
Global climate change will increase the risk of conflict over shared international freshwater resources. Treaties and other cross-border agreements can help reduce those risks, but existing agreements are inadequate for dealing with the impacts of climate change. A new Pacific Institute analysis for the United Nations, Understanding and Reducing the Risks of Climate Change for Transboundary Waters, identifies these growing risks and proposes methods for reducing them. read more

Community-based adaptation to climate change ()
A special issue of «Participatory Learning and Action» focuses on recent approaches to climate change adaptation which are community-based and participatory, building on the priorities, knowledge, and capacities of local people. read more

World Water Forum PrepCom highlights impacts of climate change on water scarcity ()
On 21–23 January 2009, delegates from more than 60 countries have met in Rome to continue negotiations on a global plan of action for adapting to global changes that affect how countries manage freshwater resources. read more

CPWC at the 5th World Water Forum ()
CPWC (co-)organizes 5 sessions, a side event and a ministerial High Level Panel during the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, 15–22 March 2009. Moreread more

CPWC supports Dutch Vice Minister in Jakarta ()
CPWC co-organized a part of the programme around the visit of the Dutch Vice Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (V&W) to Indonesia, 20–22 January 2009. read more

CPWC facilitates European regional process for 5th World Water Forum ()
CPWC, together with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the World Water Council, EWP and the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, organizes a conference on ‘Climate Change Adaptation and Water’ in Brussels from 12 to 13 March 2009. read more

Flexible Water Storage Options and Adaptation to Climate Change ()
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has released a Water Policy Brief addressing «Flexible Water Storage Options and Adaptation to Climate Change». read more

Actions for Water Integrity in the Context of Climate Change – Call for Submissions ()
Implications of climate change on the water sector are both pervasive and complex. Global and local communities are finally mobilizing, designing mitigation and adaptation mechanisms in an attempt to avoid some of the worst damage and prepare for those consequences which may now be unavoidable. Because enormous infrastructure investment is a certainty, 30–50% of which will be water-related, the potential for corruption is high. read more

»Climate change diagnosed as biggest global health threat« ()
“We have been ignoring the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.” This was the message – or maybe confession – spelled out in a report launched by doctors and climatologists in London. read more

CRiSTAL (Community-based Risk Screening Tool – Adaptation and Livelihoods) ()
CRiSTAL (Community-based Risk Screening Tool – Adaptation and Livelihoods) is a screening tool designed to help project designers and managers integrate risk reduction and climate change adaptation into community-level projects. read more

Towards a new era of strong partnership ()
In a statement issued in New York, US, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Barack Obama on his inauguration as US President. read more

Munich Re: Catastrophe figures for 2008 confirm that climate agreement is urgently needed ()
A large number of tropical cyclones and the earthquake in Sichuan made 2008 one of the most devastating years on record. Although there was a drop in the number of loss-producing events compared with the previous year (from 960 to 750), individual catastrophes pushed up the numbers of victims and the losses appreciably. read more

CPWC’s International Programme Office has moved to The Hague (NL) ()
CPWC’s office has moved to a building just opposite the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague. read more

Focus on adaptation - UNFCCC issues four substantive papers for Parties ()
The UNFCCC Secretariat has released four papers on adaptation in an effort to aid parties in carrying out adaptation measures. read more

Gender, Climate Change and Human Security ()
The Women’s Environment & Development Organization (WEDO) announced the publication of a new study, «Gender, Climate Change and Human Security». The study contributes to a comprehensive examination of the impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations. read more

Water Scarcity, Global Changes, and Groundwater Management Response ()
International conference, 1–6 December 2008, University of California, Irvine, United States read more

CPWC office to move to new address, in The Hague (NL) ()
As of 15 December 2008 CPWC’s international secretariat office will be in The Hague, the Netherlands. Please change your database accordingly. read more

Protecting ecosystems from climate change ()
A new report offers suggestions on how to minimize the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. read more

USAID Climate Change Adaptation Guidance ()
USAID’s Global Climate Change team has released an Adaptation Guidance Manual entitled Adapting to Climate Variability and Change: A Guidance Manual for Development Planning. read more

Conference on adaptation in developing countries ()
On Tuesday 25 November 2008 the 2nd Conference on adaptation to climate change in developing countries will take place in the Hague, the Netherlands read more

IWA Specialist Group on Climate Change ()
Conference, 17–18 November 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands read more

WGGWCC conference appears to be fraud ()
We have been informed that an announcement of a global warming and climate change conference in London appears to be a swindle. read more

World Water Week in Stockholm concludes succesfully ()
Dagens Nyheter, Sweden’s main daily newspaper, interviewed Michael van der Valk of CPWC and issued a one-page article on water and climate at the onset of the two Water & Climate Days. read more

Verslag Water & Climate Days (in Dutch) ()
CPWC heeft een verslag gemaakt van de Water & Climate Days tijdens de World Water Week in Stockholm. read more

Special CPWC newsletter on World Water Week programme ()
We have released a special newsletter on the programme of the two Water & Climate Days (20 and 21 August 2008) during the World Water Week in Stockholm, 17–23 August 2008. read more

World Water Week to focus on Water and Climate ()
CPWC is coordinating two Water & Climate Days during this year’s World Water Week in Stockholm, together with over 40 international organizations. The IPCC Technical Paper on Water and Climate will be presented, and its meaning for water managers discussed. Includes a High Level Debate in preparation for the World Water Forum in March 2009.read more

Global Climate Change Collaborative (G3C) ()
MIT–USGS Science Impact Collaborative (MUSIC) has initiated the Global Climate Change Collaborative (G3C). G3C is a network of institutions around the world that conduct action research projects to help communities, planners, and policy makers develop adaptive management and adaptive governance processes to prepare for the impacts of climate change. read more

Asia-Pacific Water Forum recommends immediate action for adaptation ()
The 1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit, in Beppu (Oita Prefecture, Japan) agreed to establish concrete goals for the 2008 Toyako G8 Summit to take immediate action to support adaptation to climate change by developing countries. read more

Smart Water Harvesting Solutions ()
Looking for examples of innovative low-cost technologies for rain, fog, runoff water and groundwater? A new booklet has it all. read more

Climate changes Dutch water management – new booklet ()
A new booklet shows how the Netherlands is striving to remain climate-proof. It provides ideas and contacts to support efforts to this end. read more

Adaptation has turned the corner – UNFCCC, September 2007 ()
After years of awareness-raising, the time has come to include climate change in policy development, development planning and operations. This was the conclusion of the UNFCCC workshop on adaptation planning and practices within the Nairobi Work Programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change held in Rome, Italy, 10–12 September, attended by some 200 participants. read more

Final report of Jakarta workshop available ()
The final report of the international workshop on water and climate, held 23–24 May 2007 in Jakarta, is available. read more

Survey report on Capacity Building on Water and Climate now online ()
Earlier this year, CPWC held an online survey to obtain a better idea of the specific needs for capacity development among a broad worldwide group of water sector professionals. The report of the survey is now available online. read more

Climate change heats up debate at World Water Week in Stockholm ()
Looking back at the successful World Water Week in Stockholm (12–18 August 2007), it is clear that climate change was spreading as a theme into many sessions. The Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (CPWC) coordinated the Water and Climate Day (15 August), but also on other days, and in most plenary sessions, climate change was a hot issue. read more

Innovations in Coping with Water and Climate Related Risks – new publication ()
IWA publishing has brought out a special issue of Water Science & Technology. Issue editor is Leonie J. Bolwidt. read more

Conference Climate changes Spatial Planning ()
12–13 September 2007, The Hague, The Netherlands read more

Water and Climate central at World Water Week in Stockholm (15 Aug 2007)
Wednesday 15 August 2007 will be Water and Climate Day during the World Water Week in Stockholm.
The Water and Climate Day will present a unique opportunity for participants to discuss the activities undertaken in developed and developing countries in the follow-up to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC.
Location: Lilla Teatern, Folkets Hus read more

Indonesia and the Netherlands work together on adaptation (6/18/2007)
Under a co-operation scheme between the Dutch ministries Public Works and Environment and the their Indonesian counterparts, the Indonesian Water Partnership together with the CPWC have organised a joint international workshop on water and climate. read more

Global Warming: Water the Main Mediator (27 July 2007)
The climate change foreseen in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment has major implications for the water sector. read more

IHA World Congress on Advancing Sustainable Hydropower (6/18/2007)
At the request of the International Hydropower Association (IHA), Henk van Schaik, CPWC Programme Coordinator, presented a plea for the initiation of a Specialist Group in IHA on adaptation to climate variability and change. read more

Summer School on "Managing Transitions to Adaptive River Basin Management" (4/10/2007)
The 2007 NeWater Summer School on "Managing Transitions to Adaptive River Basin Management" will take place from 11 July – 21 July, 2007 in Bad Krozingen, near Freiberg and the Black Forest in Southern Germany. read more

Sand dams: low-tech weapons against climate change (New Scientist article) (1/23/2007)
Sand dams and raised water pumps that dig deeper into the ground were just a couple of the low-tech ways of dealing with the consequences of climate change presented in Nairobi, Kenya recently. read more

final ESPACE Project Conference, (4/16/2007)
This launch is targeted at anyone at local, regional, national and European levels interested in how the spatial planning system can deliver adaptation (and mitigation) to climate change. read more

5 minute Online Survey - UNESCO-IHE and Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (4/16/2007)
To be able to supply the right kind of capacity building services, UNESCO-IHE and CPWC hold a websurvey to assess the need for and the specific interest in, knowledge and improved use of climate information for the specific responsibilities of water sector specialists read more

Joint Workshop on Water and Climate Indonesia - from concerns to local actions (02/19/2007)
Within the framework of the Four-Party Memorandum of Understanding between Dutch and Indonesian ministries of Public Works & Water and the ministries of Environment, The CPWC co-organizes an international workshop on Water and Climate that will take place in Jakarta on 23 and 24 May 2007 read more

UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) (12/21/2006)
The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) provides scenarios that show how our climate might change and co-ordinates research on dealing with our future climate. read more

report: Climate Change Adaptation Conference in India (12/21/2006)
In India, the International Conference on Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change was held. CPWC made an appeal for climate change adaptation in the water sector. read more

On the Brink of Disaster - Article in Water Front (N0. 3, October 2006) (12/21/2006)
Climate change and water-related risks will threaten achievement of several Millennium Development Goals. Adaptation is necessary but poverty hinders, according to the article in Stockholm Water Front of October 2006. read more

Announcement Aquaterra 1st World Forum on Delta and Coastal development (12/21/2006)
Aquaterra is aimed at providing solutions for everyone involved in this complex field. It will bring together for the first time the world’s most important decision makers in water management, coastal and delta development. read more

Announcement: UPeace Climate Change and Vulnerability Conference (12/21/2006)
This conference is held on February 13-14 2007 in The Hague. read more

Announcement: International Conference on Adaptive and Integrated Water Management (12/21/2006)
International Conference on Adaptive and Integrated Water Management, Coping with complexity and uncertainty (30/10/06) CAIWA 2007 is held on 12-15 november 2007 in Basel Switzerland. read more

IWA events and Specialist Group on Water and Climate (10/01/2006)
On September 25, 2006 the IWA Specialist Group on Water and Climate has been inaugurated at the IWA-NVA international conference on Water and Climate in Amsterdam. This Specialist Group is a joint initiative of IWA and CPWC. The Specialist Group will have a Board of 10 members from The Netherlands, Spain, USA, India, USA, Uganda and Japan Canada. read more