5 July 2011: The Regional G-WADI Training Workshop on Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones was organized on the initiative of the Tehran Office of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and International Hydrological Programme (IHP) Iran, to address: monitoring and modeling climate change; dealing with impacts of climate change; formulating adaptation strategies to climate change; and introducing international initiatives and activities of UNESCO in Iran.

The workshop, which took place in Tehran, Iran, from 20-21 June 2011, brought together representatives from IHP and representatives from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

The Workshop was followed by the fourth meeting of the Asian G-WADI Network, which took place on 22 June 2011, at the same venue, with representatives from Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Pakistan, the Chair of IHP Intergovernmental Council, and others. Participants reviewed the new directions of the G-WADI Programme as well as report of Asian G-WADI activities. They engaged in discussion on country reports presented by participating countries, which stressed the need to improve networking and capacity building activities. IHP Iran presented two project proposals, for which countries agreed to further review the proposal on “Creation of Landform, Land use, Land cover and Soil erosion maps using a GIS and Remote Sensing Protocol at the regional scale” and provide feedback. Participants also agreed to develop a publication under the IHP series on “Lessons learnt from Integrated Watershed Management in the Asian G-WADI Countries.” The meeting concluded with the unanimous adoption of a statement. [UNESCO Press Release] [G-WADI Website] [G-WADI Asia Website]