• 
• Japanese
• 
• IETC's Focal Area
• Waste Management
• Publications & Tools
• Meetings & Workshops
• Global Partnership on Waste Management
• Background
• Objectives
  & Expected Outcomes
• Framework
• Sub-focal Areas
• Information Platform
• Meetings
• Participation / Membership
• Water and Sanitation
• Publications & Tools
• Meetings & Workshops
• Resources
• Publications & Tools
• About IETC
• Background and History
• Director
• Activity Reports
• Supporting Foundations
• Internship
• Contact Us

Launch of Strategic Alliance For Freshwater Information, Resources and Education (SAFFIRE)

"The message of the developing world - grappling with poverty, growing population, increasing urbanization and industrialization - is clear. Supply of freshwater will be a critical issue in the years to come. Information, assessment and monitoring of global water resources will be crucial,"

- Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director, UNEP

Most cities, towns and villages are facing water stress - their reserves of water is depleting, while the demand for water is increasing. Each day, they are finding that water is more scarce. Much of the rain that falls on their catchment areas either evaporates, or becomes run-off as surface water, with a small percentage that replenishing scarce ground water.

On the other hand, water pollution (and as an extension, ground water contamination) results from thousands of sources, including siltation, nutrients, bacteria, oxygen-depleting substances, metals, pesticides, herbicides, toxic chemicals, and other habitat-altering materials. Much of these sources are directly related to our daily lifestyle choices and values that we place on the environment. We need to make ourselves aware of the impact and effects of these choices and values to water sources, and the environment at large.

Maintaining an adequate supply of usable water is increasingly a challenge. The demand for water needed to serve agriculture, industry, sanitation, and domestic consumption increases along with population, development, and economic growth. Besides, water resources are also required for many aspects of power generation, waste processing, new home construction, new industries and recreation.

In order to raise awareness on these issues, and build capacity for integrated and coherent action, a group of key water stakeholders came together to launch SAFFIRE - the Strategic Alliance For Freshwater Information, Resources and Education.

SAFFIRE is an 'umbrella' initiative that brings together existing initiatives/websites that are working on water and local environment issues. Each of the participating websites/institutions have their own individual strengths and unique content and SAFFIRE provides a gateway to these resources in a single unified window.

SAFFIRE features direct links to the founding members, but adds value to its contents by including a common search engine; a predesignated keyword jump; e-learning resources; themes/questions/projects common to all members; participation from other websites/institutions; and other features.

Explore SAFFIRE - and your comments and suggestions will be welcome!
http://www.water-saffire.net/

• Brochure
• 
• 



• International Year of Forests
• 
• 



• World Environment Day
• 
• 



• UNEP Campaign
• 
•