International conference held to aid environment

Abstract

The 2009 International Conference on the Implementation of Environmental Water Allocations (IEWA) was successfully concluded in Port Elizabeth in February. The conference drew more than 400 delegates from 30 countries, including China, Thailand, the USA, Australia and Canada. Research has shown that the demand on South Africa’s scarce water resources (including rivers, wetlands, estuaries and groundwater) is increasing. At the same time, there is an overall deterioration of the quality of the country’s water resources. Sustainable aquatic ecosystems rely on the availability of water of adequate quantity and quality. The conference aimed to identify and critique present global trends in the implementation of environmental water allocations in the fields of policy and legislation, integrating aquatic ecosystem protection with socio-economic growth and development, defining and International conference held to aid environment involving stakeholders; decision-making for sustainable use; operational management of water allocations; and sharing knowledge and skills.

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