4^TH WORLD WATER FORUM,
Mexico, March 2006
(Posted 25 May 2006)

A wide range of documents from the conference is available for download on the World Water Forum website, declarations, keynote speeches, regional and thematic documents, newsletters, and more:

(http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx)

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “THE COSTS OF THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE - CHANCES AND RISKS FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES”
2nd March 2006 in Oldenburg, Germany
(Posted 25 May 2006)

The project ENMaR (European Network of Municipalities and Rivers Project) hosted the international conference. The conference had two major aims:

• An introduction to this years’ subject of cost-effectiveness of measures. The presentations from experts focused on questions like “How can we finance measures to improve the water status?” or “Which measures are the most cost effective with the highest benefit?”.
• To encourage discussion and exchange of experience between the different partner regions and the different core areas (spatial planning, tourism, water services as well as agriculture and forestry). An exhibition was organised, showing the different situations in the regions concerning the four core areas in relation to the WFD.

The presentations can be viewed on the Project’s website:
(http://www.enmar.org/sites/home/news/2006_03_conference.php)

RIVER AND COASTAL FLOODING
Presentations to the Flooding Issues Advisory Committee, FIAC
(Posted 25 May 2006)

Presentations given to the FIAC meetings from April 2005 can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website. At the March meeting of the Avoidance Sub-committee Cath Preston of SEPA gave a presentation on River Basin Management Planning:

(http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Water/Flooding/16919/FIAC)

CIS WORKSHOP ON SURFACE WATERS MONITORING NETWORKS AND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS
27 – 28 April 2006, Brussels
(Posted 25 May 2006)

Presentations on ‘Design practices for WFD monitoring networks in member states’, ‘Representativeness, comparability and other issues’, and ‘Classification systems’ on the European Commission’s website:
(http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/
thematic_documents/12_-_monitoring/monitoring_networks&vm=detailed&sb=Title)

MERSEY BASIN CAMPAIGN AND ENMaR PROJECT

Presentation to the Foundation for Water Research (16th March 2006)
(Posted 8 May 2006)

Caroline is the Mersey Basin Campaign’s policy advisor with special responsibility for its programme on the WFD.
Her article on ‘WFD-Public Participation’ was published in our WFD Newsletter, Issue 4, 2005.

‘The Campaign is a 25-year, government backed partnership, launched in 1985, to clean-up the rivers, streams and canals of England’s Northwest. It covers two river basins – the Mersey and the Ribble.

The Campaign’s objectives are:

• to improve water quality.
• to stimulate waterside regeneration.
• to raise awareness and engage the public/business in the process of improvement.

ENMaR is an EU project to engage local authorities in the Water Framework Directive.