IOWater - International News

51 THE MEDITERRANEAN The News N° 28 FRom one conTinenT To anoTHeR Closer to innovation In 2017, EMWIS continued its actions about innovative solutions to meet the water-related challenges in the Mediterranean, illustrated by the following examples: l Climate services for agriculture (VISCA), combining short, medium and long-term local weather forecasts with phenological models and in-situ data to help farmers better manage their crops by adapting to climate change : (www.visca.eu) ; l The Satellite-based Wetland Obser- vation Service (SWOS) provides valua- ble maps and indicators for natural park managers and also for water resources management (ecosystem restoration, floods) and for monitoring some Sustainable Development Goals; (www.swos-service.eu/) , l A circular economy approach in sludge management (ANADRY) in small and medium-sized urban waste- water treatment plants with the produc- tion of biogas and biological fertilizers that meet health standards (www.life-anadry.eu) 4 EMWIS Better management of knowledge on water in the Mediterranean area www.emwis.net SEMIDE E MW I S Mediterranean Water Knowledge Platform This project, labeled by the Union for the Mediterranean, led to significant actions in 2017, thanks, in particular, to the support of the French Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity-based Transition. In June 2017, a technical training on the implemen- tation of National Water Information Systems gathered representatives of 10 Mediterranean countries for three days in Sophia Antipolis, to deal with the institutional aspects of governance, financing, technical architecture and data use to meet the challenges of Integrated Water Resources Management. The experience of the Tunisian precursor system, “SINEAU”, highlighted good practices and pitfalls to avoid. In October 2017, with the support of the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), IOWater and EMWIS organized a workshop in Barcelona for the Water Departments of the Member Countries. This workshop provided an opportunity to discuss good practices and funding arran- gements for National Water Information Systems and their use for water resources management planning in a climate change context. In conclusion, this Platform will be able to support the preparation of indicators responding to both national strategies, Sustainable Development Goals and the Water component of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) in the Mediterranean. 4 Diagram of potential wetlands in the Sebou Basin in Morocco Training workshop on Water Information Systems, Sophia Antipolis, July 2017 Workshop for exchanging experiences, Barcelona, October 2017 Information: Fax: +33 4 93 65 44 02 - E-mail: cooperation@iowater.org