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A MEDRC expert workshop in Muscat called for greater cooperation between the water, energy and agriculture sectors to cut costs, energy consumption and environmental impacts.
The workshop, involving several world renowned scientists and practitioners, was entitled: “Renewable energy & desalination in the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus in the MENA region.” and took place at MEDRC headquarters in Muscat (Sultanate of Oman).
The Water-Energy-Food Nexus is an important tool for Governments to appreciate the need for more coordination between the water, energy and food sectors. The linkages with renewable energies and desalination are a top priority for MEDRC.
The workshop started with an introduction by Dr. Jauad El Kharraz, MEDRC head of research, who introduced the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) concept and highlighted good examples from a recent GIZ (German agency for international development cooperation) study on the adoption of innovative solutions within the nexus in Oman, UAE, Qatar, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. READ MORE
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LocalNews
Oman: To host the 2nd Middle East Oilfield produced water management conference & exhibition
The 2nd Middle East Oilfield produced water management conference & exhibition will take place in Muscat (Oman) next 14-16th February 2017. The Middle East Oilfield Produced Water Management Conference, is assembling for the second bi-annual platform, which has been created to couple together industrial challenges with viable, cost effective technology. The program will not only be inclusive of the petroleum sector, but also include partners from the agricultural and municipal sectors, to address policies and brainstorm feasible channels for oilfield produced water reuse. READ MORE
Oman seeks consultants for key water projects
Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) has floated four initial tenders for the development of two independent water projects, one each in Duqm and Khasab region of the sultanate, said a report. These tenders are for the selection of consultants to conduct onshore and offshore studies of the seabed areas, as well as the quality of water and other aspects related to the potential site. The proposed Duqm independent project will have a water desalination capacity of 60,000 cu m per day, while the Khasab project will provide 16,000 to 20,000 cu m of water generation capacity. READ MORE
Oman rocks to help fight global warming
A professor in Oman has come up with a discovery that promises a breakthrough solution to the issue of carbon emissions on a global level: a rock commonly found just under the crust of the earth could soak up the planet’s entire carbon dioxide emissions, even without being mined. READ MORE
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RegionalNews
MEDRC & University of Barcelona: Collaboration perspectives
An MoU has just been signed between MEDRC and the University of Barcelona & its AECHE (Arab-Euro Conference on High Education) in order to collaborate on common topics of interest through research and capacity building activities as well as possible joint proposals for EU and regional/local projects. READ MORE
Water-DROP final Conference and Mediterranean Conference in Cyprus
In Cyprus, Water-DROP project final Conferences were hosted by University of Nicosia and held in Pafos. All Water-DROP partners (including MEDRC) have attended the two days of Conferences, the Mediterranean Conference held on 30th may and the final International Conference of Water-DROP project held on 31st may. READ MORE
Gaza: EU commissioner visits seawater desalination plant, announces funding
EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn, responsible for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, visited last June 14th the EU-funded seawater desalination plant in southern Gaza. The first phase of the desalination plant is in its final stage of construction, and is the largest being built so far in Gaza. READ MORE
Jordan: Water services for one refugee cost Jordan JD500 every year
One refugee costs Jordan JD500 every year for water and wastewater services, Water Minister Hazem Nasser said recently. Nasser made these remarks at a meeting with UNICEF Representative to Jordan Robert Jenkins to announce a JD2 million UNICEF grant to finance projects in the Northern Badia and Ajloun areas to improve water provision. READ MORE
Qatar: QWEC and QEERI signed a MoU to develop desalination facilities
Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QWEC) and Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop science based programs and install pilot tests for the development of desalination facilities to be in line with water security initiatives in Qatar. READ MORE
UAE: Dubai plans world's largest solar project
The largest Concentrated Solar Power (CPS) project to be built on a single site in the world will begin power generation in Dubai within the next five years. The long view is that the new CPS site will generate 1,000 megawatts (MW) of power by 2030 as part of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy to generate 75 per cent of Dubai’s power from clean energy by 2050. READ MORE
Saudi Arabia outlines desalination strategy as part of economic reforms
UN says Saudi Arabia is to increase the proportion of desalinated water produced by private operators from 16 to 52 per cent by 2020. The target is among the strategic objectives for the water and desalination sectors that form part of the country’s National Transformation Plan (NTP), a sweeping programme of economic reform that aims to reposition Saudi Arabia away from its reliance on oil. READ MORE
Kuwait undertakes to fund water projects in Tunisia
Kuwait will fund projects of drinking water network extension and water desalination plants in Djerba, Medenine, Ben Guerdane and Tataouine. The cost of the projects whose works will start by the end of the year, range between 85 and 95 million dollars. READ MORE
Tunisia: 60 farmers have access to treated irrigation water thanks to EU project
On 3 June 2016, the Minister of Agriculture of Tunisia, Mr. Saad Seddik, visited and officially inaugurated the pilot plant for the desalination of brackish waters built in the framework of the EU-funded ACCBAT project, implemented under the Cross Border Cooperation programme in the Mediterranean Basin (CBCMed). READ MORE
Tunisia: From COP21 to COP22: Renewables and Mediterranean Integration
In preparation for COP22 that will be held in Morocco and building on the results of the COP21, the CMI in collaboration with the African Development Bank, called for a meeting to discuss renewable energy in the Mediterranean area. READ MORE
Morocco: AfDB loan of Over €88 Million to Finance Water Project
The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved last June 8th in Abidjan a loan of €88.85 million to fund a project in Morocco aiming at improving the quality of drinking water service. The project is meant to strengthen and secure the drinking water supply in several cities and to improve water quality at the Bouregreg system (artificial aeration at the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah dam and ozonation at the existing treatment plant). READ MORE
Libyan cities get support from European cities through CoR initiative
As part of the effort by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) to help cities in Libya, a group of Libyan engineers attended a workshop in Murcia, Spain on 31 May, focused on one of the major challenges faced by Libyan municipalities: water management. READ MORE
Egypt plans five desalination plants by 2019
Egypt is to build five new desalination plants to serve the drinking water needs of residents in the Sinai Peninsula. The largest, with a capacity of 20,000 c3/d, will be located in the town of El Tor, on the West coast of South Sinai, and the other four, each with a capacity of 10,000 c3/d, will be dotted around the peninsula’s coastline at Ras Sedr, AbuZenima, Daha, and Nuwaiba. READ MORE
Egypt completes water master plan
The Egyptian Holding Company for Water and Wastewater has completed its master plan for water and sanitation in Egypt’s governorates up to 2037. The plan ranks a number of future water projects based on socio-economic criteria, and a number of water treatment projects are awarded top rankings, including the extension of WTPs at Meet Khamiss, Mahalla Kobra and Badershin. READ MORE
Egypt: the water crisis taking hold across Egypt
UN says the country will face ‘absolute water scarcity’ by 2025, but for some villages the catastrophe has already arrived – as the Middle East faces severe heatwave. An Egyptian farmer squats down on cracked soil to show the dryness of the land due to drought in a farm formerly irrigated by the river Nile, in Al-Dakahlya. READ MORE
Middle East: Energy Recovery unveils $5.4 million contract for 'mega projects'
US supplier Energy Recovery has won $5.4 million of contracts to supply desalination "mega projects" in the Middle East. The Middle East deal covers desalination projects with a capacity of 300,000 m3/d. READ MORE
A Review of Water Resources in Middle East Cities
Future scenarios of the Middle East region’s cities all appear challenging, but they are not necessarily doomed to an unsustainable future. To meet growing demand, they’ll have to work on both securing sustainable water supplies and on managing demand. But they’ll need to do this in the context of population growth, conflicts and climate change. READ MORE
Mediterranean Water Knowledge Platform
The CMI organized a project progress meeting regarding its water program with the participation of multiple partners such as the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the International Office for Water (IOWater), the Mediterranean Institute For Water (IME), the Euro-Mediterranean Information System (EMWIS) and the French Development Agency (AFD). READ MORE
WANA Institute Hosts Inception Workshop for Response Strategies to Climate Change Project
The WANA Institute hosted recently an inception workshop for the project, which engaged field-based climate change experts with the aim of developing a shared vision, enhancing networking, and exchanging of climate change up-to-date data. It also sought to build criteria to select a vulnerable community, which ideally represents the majority of climate change vulnerable communities in Jordan. READ MORE
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InternationalNews
Netherlands: A Dutch town will grow its own food, live off-grid, and handle its own waste:
It's no secret that today's aggressive agricultural techniques can take a heavy toll on the environment, both on the land used for crops and livestock, and in the surrounding atmosphere. But a new vision of a more sustainable 'integrated neighborhood' community is being implemented in the Netherlands, with the first of a series of high-tech farm villages set to be completed next year. READ MORE
EU invests €177 million in new environment projects:
The European Union is providing €177 million in funding for 31 new environment projects through its Horizon 2020 programme. The European Commission has awarded grants to 31 consortia for running projects on water innovation, waste recycling, earth observation, climate action or natural resources. All in all, more than 550 organisations from 48 different countries, including 25 EU Member States, will be involved in the new projects. READ MORE
GWP Launches Global Support Programme for NDCs, Water, Climate, and Development
Global Water Partnership (GWP) has launched a global programme to assist countries to implement the adaptation component of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – the climate plans submitted to the UNFCCC ahead of the Paris Agreement. The launch took place at this year’s UNFCCC climate conference in Bonn, SB44. READ MORE
Singapore to supply Johor with more potable water to cope with dry spell
Singapore has begun supplying more potable water to Johor at the request of the Malaysian state’s water regulatory body. Since June 4, national water agency PUB has pumped in an extra six million gallons of potable water a day to Johor. READ MORE
Solar pumps bring safe water to families in Myanmar
In a Myanmar community affected by drought, easy access to safe water is hard to come by. With support from UNICEF and the Government, the village purchased a solar powered water pump and now all households get water pumped straight to their homes. READ MORE
Kashmir: A Water War in the Making?
Pakistan and India are locked in a bitter water conflict centered on the explosive Kashmir issue. Though diplomatic exertions have prevented a major escalation, both countries are entangled in legal battles as more dams and power projects come up in Kashmir. Pakistan and India could jointly build dams and share benefits. This could lower their tensions over water sharing. READ MORE
Rigid water pipes, fit for the future:
At IFAT 2016 Fraunhofer presents a modern, intelligent and sustainable water energy transition concept for urban areas. It will be implemented during the next three years in the city of Lünen, Westphalia. Water-energy nexus! Grey water recycling inside the house, green infrastructure strips along the road to receive remaining waste water, vacuum dewatering, biogas and nutrient recovery of left-over concentrated wastewater. READ MORE
New Science Challenges Old Assumptions About Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
First-of-its-kind survey shows that algal toxins are found nationwide. The first-ever National Lakes Assessment of toxins from harmful algal blooms challenges several long-held assumptions, including the extent, distribution and make-up of toxins from harmful algal blooms. READ MORE
Desalination Breakthrough: Saving the Sea from Salt
A chemist finds a way to cut super salty discharge and CO2 as the Middle East relies ever more on seawater desalination. Brine disposal is a big problem in much of the Middle East. The gulf, along with the Red and Mediterranean seas, are turning saltier because of desalination by-products—and the region is the epicenter of desalination worldwide, with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman making up 45 percent of global desalination capacity. READ MORE
The ‘Third Age’ of Water: Stretching Every Drop
During the “Second Age of Water,” empires realized they were losing control of their water sources to pollution and disease. The Second Age flowered in the 20th century, with the construction of massive dams, water treatment plants, irrigation systems, and aqueducts hundreds of miles long. The future will not be like the past because of climate change. READ MORE
Obstacles in Implementation of Waste-to-Energy
The biggest obstacle to the implementation of Waste-to-Energy (or WTE) lies not in the technology itself but in the acceptance of citizens. Citizens who are environmentally minded but lack awareness of the current status of waste-to-energy bring up concerns of environmental justice and organize around this. READ MORE
Stanford researchers calculate groundwater levels from satellite data
A new computer algorithm that can “fill in” underground water levels in areas where quality data is not available could lead to improved models of groundwater flow in regions where pumping and aquifer depletion are a concern. The technique, detailed in the June issue of the journal Water Resources Research, could lead to better models of groundwater flow. READ MORE
SIM4NEXUS: Improving decision-making on the water-energy-food Nexus:
The project SIM4NEXUS “Sustainable Integrated Management FOR the NEXUS of water-land-food-energy-climate for a resource-efficient Europe” has been selected by the European Commission for an overall grant of nearly € 8,000,000. This H2020 project, which involves 26 partners from 15 countries, is led by Wageningen University (The Netherlands) and will run for 4 years (2016-2020). READ MORE
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AWARDS & VACANCIES
Algeria: Abdelkader Ouali takes offices as minister of Water Resources
The new minister of Water Resources and Environment, Abdelkader Ouali was installed, earlier in June, at the head of this ministerial department replacing Abdelouahab Nouri following the cabinet reshuffle conducted on June 11 by the Algerian President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Ouali was the minister of Public Works, while the former minister Nouri, was appointed minister of National Planning, Tourism and Craft Industry. READ MORE
Global Award to Find Sustainable Solutions to Water Scarcity Across the World
In support of the UAE’s goal to become a knowledge-based economy with a strong focus on technology, R&D and innovation. His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai announced the launch of a USD 1 million global award to find sustainable solar-powered solutions to water scarcity. Deadline for applications: 31 July 2016. READ MORE
Zayed Future Energy Prize
This prize represents the vision of the Late Founding Father and President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, who championed environmental stewardship. This annual award celebrates achievements that reflect impact, innovation, long-term vision and leadership in renewable energy and sustainability. Deadline for submissions: 27th June, 2016. READ MORE
TWAS Arab Regional Prize
TWAS Regional Prizes 2016 will be awarded in recognition of individuals who have played key roles in the establishment of vibrant scientific institutions and to those who have significantly expanded the activities of already-established institutions in the developing world. TWAS Regional Prize awardee will receive a USD 3,000 cash award. Deadline is extended to 30 June 2016. READ MORE
Call for Applications - Enhancing the Capacity of Young Arab Scientists in Agricultural Research for Development
ICARDA - the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, with support from the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), offers opportunities to Arab students enrolled in Masters or PhD degrees within an university in the Arab world to strengthen their research skills. Closing date September 30, 2016. READ MORE
Project Manager – Climate change adaptation - Contract Agent (FG IV):
The European Environment Agency (EEA) is organising an open competition with a view to recruiting a contract agent to work as Project Manager in the field of climate change adaptation. Closing date for application: Monday 04 July 2016, at 12.00 noon (Central European Time).
READ MORE
Vacancy: Programme Officer: Water, Sanitation, Hygiene & Monitoring, IRC
The Programme Officer will be part of the International and Innovation team in The Hague (The Netherlands) and will be expected to participate in multi-disciplinary project teams. Application deadline: 6th July 2016. READ MORE
PostDoc offer: 4877 – Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships
Are you an experienced researcher in possession of a doctoral degree or do you have at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience? Discover the opportunities of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowships for researchers at the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change Foundation. Application Deadline: 31st of June, 20163. READ MORE
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PUBLICATIONS
- New Technical Article Published in Desalination and Water Treatment: Going Big with Forward Osmosis. READ MORE
- New EU project POWER published best practices on water management for four cities. READ MORE
- FAO/Fertilizer Organizations five-year (2015-2019) report on the world and regional fertilizer supply, demand and potential balance. READ MORE
- Water in the MENA, a source for conflict or a source for peace? READ MORE
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UPCOMING EVENTSS
- Singapore International Water Week: July 10th-14th, 2016, Singapore. READ MORE
- 2nd Water, Growth and Stability Conference: 11-14 July, 2016, Tunisia. READ MORE
- African Forum of Renewable Energy, July 13th-15th 2016, Tangiers, Morocco. READ MORE
- African Forum of Renewable Energy: July 15th-16th, 2016, Marrakech, Morocco. READ MORE
- International Congress on Water, Waste and Energy Management, July 18th-20th, 2016, Rome, Italy. READ MORE
- International Symposium and Workshop RE-Greece 2016: “Circular Economy and Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources in the context of Climate Change and Social Upheavals” July 20th-22nd 2016,in Nisyros, Greece. READ MORE
- 2nd annual international conference and exhibition - Solar | wind | biomass | geothermal: July 25th-26th 2016, Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa, Cairo, Egypt. READ MORE
- World Water Week in Stockholm ‘Water and Sustainable Growth’: August 28th till September 2nd, 2016, Stockholm, Sweden. READ MORE
- Wastewater Egypt 2016: August 29th-30th, 2016, Cairo, Egypt. READ MORE
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TRAINING
- AAAS-TWAS Course on Science and Diplomacy. From the 11th till the 15th of July, 2016. Trieste, Italy. READ MORE
- Master Course: Hydrology & Water Footprint Assessment From the 5th of September till the 11th of November 2016. University of Twente, the Netherlands. READ MORE
- The International WaterCentre (IWC) is currently offering several full scholarships for high calibre international candidates. Apply online for a scholarship by 1st of August, 2016. READ MORE
- Reverse Osmosis Entry Level: Water Chemistry. From the 8th till the 11th of August, 2016. MEDRC Training Facility, Muscat Oman. READ MORE
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TENDERS & PROPOSALS
- Call for proposals for Study of Socio-Economic Impacts of Solar Pumping Systems in Terms of Local Job and Value Creation in Egypt. READ MORE
- LIFE launches 2016 call for action grants: more than €330 million available: The LIFE programme launched two calls for proposals, underlining its commitment to supporting projects that protect the environment and tackle the impact of climate change. READ MORE
- Oman: Rapid Deployment of Seawater Desalination Facilities. Invitation to register expression of interest in the Tender Process leading to contract(s) for the provision of Rapid Deployment Seawater Desalination Facilities; both sea-going barge mounted and/or portable land-based plants for the temporary supply of portable water. READ MORE
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