EFIAQUA: International Fair for Water Efficiency

The first edition of the International Fair for Water Efficiency "EFIAQUA" will be hosted in Valencia (Spain) from the 16th-18th of febrary in the frame of the so called "Environment Fairs" that gathers apart from EFIAQUA, Ecofira and Egética, the first one on environmental technologies and the second on energy efficiency technologies.

According to the statutes of EFIAQUA's steering committee, composed by representatives from private sectorial organizations, valencian universities and public bodies, the Fair aims to offer a new format in which innovation and education will be the main axes.

The addressed sectors will mainly be related to captation and water treatment, supply and distribution, flood control, coastal protection, funding of projects and training of specialized press.

More information on the website of Feria Valencia: http://feria.feriavalencia.com

CLIMATE - KIC "Making a step-change in Europe's innovation capacity to meet the climate change challenge"

What is the CLIMATE - KIC?

The Climate - KIC (www.climate-kic.org) is one of the three knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) designated by the European institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), with a budget of 765 million Euros for the next four years. This initiative focuses on achieving excellence in four areas related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, highlighting the area on ADAPTATIVE WATER MANAGEMENT.

The CLIMATE - KIC consortium consists of 16 core partners, five from the academic side, one Regional Innovation and Implementation Community (RIC) which consists of Valencian Region (Spain), Central Hungary (Hungary), Lower Silesia (Poland), West Midlands (UK), Hessen (Germany) and Emilia Romagna (Italy), and ten enterprises from the corporate world.

First Wave Research and Innovation Projects of the Climate-KIC

An open call for full proposals was scheduled on May 21-2010, for funding of research and innovation projects, with a deadline on August 6-2010 although it has not been published on the Climate-KIC portal yet. A full proposal can be submitted in this period although an Expression of Interest was not previously submitted.

Four focus programmes have been identified including ADAPTATIVE WATER MANAGEMENT.

In the web portal details are given on how to submit an expression on interest which could help you to prepare a full proposal for this next call. The funding requested may be maximal 25% of the funding supplied by the Consortium.

NEW - Pioneers into Practice Programme - Expressions of Interest Call 2010/2011 - NEW

Climate - KIC is launching an exciting knowledge development programme called Pioneers into Practice, with the aim of producing a new generation of specialists, entrepreneurs and policy-makers with high-level skills for the loe carbon transition.

Participants will be required to undertake three-one month placements over a twelve-month period. The first and final placements will be in the participants regions of origin whereas the second one will take place in one of the other European regions involved in the RIC.

Participants will be required to complete a project-assignment, focused on a low carbon living and low carbon mobility initiatives, during each placement.

The last two days of each placement will allow participants to take part in intensive workshops known as "Crucibles" and every participant froma cross the six regions will also attend the Innovation festival in June in Budapest.

Overview on the activities and timetable:

Entry to the programme is open to people living, working or studying in each region, with a deadline on June 18th 2010.

Participants will receive 9.000 euros for participating in the programmme, which in most instances will be made to their employer or place of study, as well as the attendance to the annual Innovation Festival.

Further information on participation is available from the Pioneers into Practice Manager in your region or at: mirun@delcomval.be

REPORT ON WATER SCARCITY AND DROUGHTS BY THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL

The European Council adopted conclusions on water scarcity, drought and adaptation to climate change presented by the European Commission during the last session on 11th of June.
As main conclusions, the Council supports the development of a european drought observatory, which would be changed with forecasting and monitoring as well as the exchange of best practices between relevant actors and stakeholders.
it also encourages member states to elaborate water scarcity and drought management plans and to promote sustainable water use in agriculture.

Press release:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/envir/115143.pdf

A successful example of LIFE + project : AQUAVAL

Approved in 2008 under the heading "Policy and Governance", the principal aim of this ambitious project is to provide innovative solutions to problems related to runoff quantity and quality in the urban environment in the Valencian Region (Spain).

Through the integration of part of the hydraulic infrastructure into the municipal landscape using Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), thereby decreasing the impacts of urban development and adding social and environmental values to the programmed actions.

The main objectives are to:

• Avoid combined sewer overflows in order to improve water quality of the receiving water courses (rivers Albaida and Turia)
• Save on potable water by exploiting Natural Water Resources (rain water) in order to use it for irrigation, street cleaning, etc
• Develop community environmental policy through the integration of environmental concerns into planning and urban water policies, thereby contrbuting to sustainable development.
• Reduce energy consumption (and consequently CO2 emissions to the atmosphere) both in the water management cycle (pumping, sewer treatment plants) and in buildings (with the use of green infrastructures).

Partners:

Council of Xàtiva (Spain) - leaders of the project

Council of Benaguasil (Spain)

PM Enginyeria (Spain)

University of Abertay (UK)

Fundación Comunidad Valenciana - Región Europea (Spain)

More info: www.aquavalproject.eu

Contact: info@uegva.info

LIFE + CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The fourth LIFE + call for proposals has been published on 4th May 2010, with up to 243 million euros available for cofinancing of projects under three headings: nature and biodiversity; environment policy and governance; and information and communication.

Water is a main issue to be addressed in every component!

LIFE + Nature and Biodiversity

Aims to protect, conserve, restore, monitor and facilitate the functioning of natural systems, natural habitats, wild flora and fauna, with the aim of halting the loss of biodiversity, including diversity of genetic resources, within the EU 2010.

This heading would include the protection of wetlands, groundwater and water as a limited resource.

LIFE + Environment Policy and Governance

This component will cofinance projects that contribute to the implementation of Community environmental policy, the development of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments and the monitoring of environmental preassures such as water scarcity.

Water is addressed as a main priority in order to contribute to enhanced water quality by developing cost-effective measures to achieve good ecological status in view of developing river basin management plans under the Water Framework Directive.

LIFE + Information and Communication

Aims to disseminate information and raise awareness on environmental issues, including forest fire prevention; and to provide support for accompanying measures, such as information, communication actions and campaigns, conferences and training, including training on forest fire prevention.

This heading considers the design of awareness raising campaigns on water scarcity in the affected Member States.

For more information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

Project proposals should be sent no later than 1st September 2010.

Do you have any project proposal? then let's work together!!

Contact water@delcomval.be

Breakfast at Sustainability's

On Monday the 7th of June, the Regional Representation of Istria in Brussels hosted

the workshop "Breakfast at Sustainability's" with reference to the classical "Breakfast at Tiffany's" that ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability - a series of thematic seminars organized by the ICLEI's Office in Brussels in cooperation with regional and local authorities.

The Workshop entitled "Using water more efficiently - burning issues, current approaches, new alliances at local level" brought together regional and local representatives, non-profit organizations and the European Commission aiming to exchange good practices in the field of effcient water management at the local and regional scale.

As members of Wateregio, Dino Babic, Director of the Istria Office and Juan Manuel

Revuelta, Director General of the Valencian Regional Office both based in Brussels, explained the current situation in the Mediterranean Basin countries emphasizing the need of new financial tools, the raising awareness campaings and the modernization of hydric infrastructures as key issues in facing the challenge of climate change and its impacts on water scarcity and droughts processes.

Also, Ms. Andrea Nam, expert from the European Commission, DG Environment, explained how the Water Framework Directive could be modified as result of the studies on water scarcity that the Commission is carrying out ending up with a review on the EU strategy for 2012.