INDEX

EUROPEAN FLOODS POLICY
(Posted 17 December 2007)

On 18 September 2007 the Council finally adopted a Directive of the European parliament and of the Council on the assessment and management of flood risks (EU Floods Directive). The Directive requires Member States to first carry out a preliminary assessment by 2011 to identify the river basins and associated coastal areas at risk of flooding. For such zones they would then need to draw up flood risk maps by 2013 and establish flood risk management plans focused on prevention, protection and preparedness by 2015. The Directive applies to inland waters as well as all coastal waters across the whole territory of the EU. The Directive shall be carried out in coordination with the Water Framework Directive, notably by flood risk management plans and river basin management plans being coordinated, and through coordination of the public participation procedures in the preparation of these plans. All assessments, maps and plans prepared shall be made available to the public.

The Directive 2007/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (L 288/27, 6/11/2007). The Directive entered into force on 26 November 2007.

A copy of the Directive and further information on the implementation of the Directive and on the EU Floods Action Programme can be found on the Europa website:
(http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/flood_risk/index.htm)

BLUE GOLD, EUROPEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP BLOG
(Posted 17 December 2007)

With the launch of Blue Gold, the European Water Partnership (EWP) is creating a communication platform for the EWP, its members, the European water community, stakeholders and those interested in water at large. Blue Gold is a tool in achieving EWP’s mission to be an action-oriented forum for all stakeholders including local, national and European governmental agencies, knowledge institutes, business, non-governmental organizations, public and private financial institutions, end-users and civil society groups. It constitutes a platform for exchanging views, finding solutions for water challenges in wider Europe and stimulating cooperation and partnerships.

For details visit the website:
(http://www.questjournalists.com/index.php/site/about/)

‘NOTICE NATURE’, IRELAND, WINS EU AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS PROGRAMME
(Posted 17 December 2007)

Ireland has won an EU award for best practice in communicating environmental issues. “Notice Nature”, the Department of the Environment’s biodiversity awareness campaign, was voted the winner by environmental communications specialists from the 27 EU member states. The winner was announced at a ceremony in the Hague on Friday evening, 19 October. Initiatives taken under the Notice Nature Campaign have included the development of good practice guidelines for the tourism, construction and business sectors, the organization of Ireland’s first biodiversity week in May, seminars and conferences around the country, photographic competition in association with TV3 and the inclusion of a new biodiversity prize in the Tidy Towns competition.

For more information on the award and the campaign visit the Notice Nature website:
(http://www.noticenature.ie/Notice_Nature_EU_Award.html)

DELTARES - A NEW DUTCH INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DELTA ISSUES
(Posted 17 December 2007)

Starting on 1 January 2008, the Netherlands will benefit from a new and independent institute for applied research and specialist advice. Parts of Rijkswaterstaat /DWW (Road and Hydraulic Engineering Institute), RIKZ (National Institute for Coastal and Marine Management) and RIZA (Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment), Delft Hydraulics, GeoDelft, and a part of TNO Built Environment and Geosciences are forming the Deltares Institute. The institute will employ more than 800 people.  Deltares has a combination of knowledge and experience in the field of water, soil and the subsurface. It is frontrunner in the development, distribution and application of knowledge for meeting the challenges in the physical planning, design and management of vulnerable deltas, coastal areas and river basins.  Deltares works for and cooperates with Dutch government, provinces and water boards, international governments, knowledge institutes and market parties. The institute is located in two cities, Delft and Utrecht.

Further information is available on the Deltares website:
(http://www.deltares.nl/xmlpages/page/deltares_en)