30 September 2014: A new book, titled ‘Water Scarcity, Security and Democracy: A Mediterranean Mosaic,’ has been released by Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) and the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell University.

Highlighting the water security challenges of the Mediterranean region, including extreme aridity and the transboundary nature of many of the watercourses, chapters in the book draw out case studies from around the region to identify approaches to good water governance, participatory policy processes and sustainable water management. The book organizes chapters into sections, including: a new culture of water; coping with scarcity; and Crete – the Mosaic Approach.

Among the case studies are: the Langueoc-Roussillon Region, France; the Meander River, Turkey; Spanish water management; the Hebron/Besor Watershed shared by Israel and the Palestinian Authority; the Drin Basin; water management in Syria; Adrar Province, Algeria; Wadi Systems, Lebanon; the Blue Nile; and water systems in Crete.

The book explores a number of water management paradigms and initiatives, such as: preserving historic waterways and integrating modern water management with conservation of water history; sharing information and data to reduce wastewater conflict; implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) to manage transboundary rivers; engaging local action to effect change; conserving sustainable traditional systems; increasing water productivity to produce more food with the same water resources; and accounting for climate change in the development of management strategies and renegotiation of water treaties. [GWP-Med Press Release] [Publication: Water Scarcity, Security and Democracy: A Mediterranean Mosaic]