Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene December 2018 Vol.13 No.6 | Page 25

People
UN Environment
campaign called
Mountain Heroes.
At the heart of
the campaign are
extraordinary athletes
who dedicate some
of their time to
Michael Strasser
raise awareness on
environmental issues,
in particular environmental protection of mountains, where
early indicators of the effects of climate change are already
becoming visible.
Ice in the Arctic is melting fast, and so is ice in mountain
areas such as the magnificent Andes. Around 50 per cent
of glacier mass has been lost in the last 40 years. If we
don’t act now on climate change, we will not have the
landscapes we have today, and all life on Earth will suffer the
consequences. Unique ecosystems and biodiversity, such as
cloud forests, rivers and wetlands, will face unprecedented
conditions in the future, threatening the livelihoods of
highland farmers and water supply for downstream areas.
“UN Environment helps countries in the Andes adapt to
the changes, such as in the Peruvian Andes, by strengthening
the resilience of ecosystems which in turn preserves fresh
water and grazing land for local communities,” says UN
Environment Programme Management Officer Matthias
Jurek.
UN Environment is also helping Andean countries to
cooperate on a regional strategy for adaptation in the Andes
mountains. This involves the identification of common
priorities and the exchange of experiences for mutual
benefit.
However, more must be done to mitigate the disasters
brought about by climate change. If Michael can cycle
across the American continent, perhaps you can cycle to
work?
World Water Council Elects New Board and New
President for 2019 – 2021
took place during the
triennial General Assembly
on 30 November and
1 December for which
upwards of 250 participants
from 35 countries gathered
in Marseille, France.
On the second day of the
General Assembly, the
newly-appointed Governors
Loïc Fauchon
unanimously elected Loïc
Fauchon to serve as President
of the World Water Council for the next mandate.
Loïc Fauchon then named Asma El Kasmi, of the Office
National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable - Branche Eau
(ONEE) as Vice President, along with Ahmet Saatçi, of
the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN), Rui Godinho, of the
Portuguese Association of Water and Wastewater Services
Portuguese Association of Water and Wastewater Services
(APDA), and Qiuchi Shi, of the International Economic &
Technical Cooperation and Exchange Center (INTCE) as
members of the Bureau.
The new President thanked the members for electing him
and congratulated the previous Board and its President,
Benedito Braga, for the important advances made on water
security during his time in office.
In the coming years, the new Board will oversee the
implementation of the Council’s triennial strategy, building
further on the work achieved over the previous three years.
The new strategy emphasizes water security, sustainability
and resilience, while seeking ways to strengthen relationships
between Council members. The Board will also support the
Council’s preparation of the 9th edition of the World Water
Forum to be held in Senegal in 2021.
Tanzanian appointed to head U.N. Environment
Programme
Tanzania’s Joyce Msuya has been
appointed to head the United
Nations Environment Programe
(UNEP), in acting capacity Ms.
Msuya will be granted all the
necessary support to ensure a
smooth transition.
This follows the resignation of its
executive director, Erik Solheim.
World Water Council Board of Governors 2019-2021
On 1 December, the World Water Council announced its
new Board of Governors, which will oversee and guide the
Council’s work for the coming three years. The elections
Joyce Msuya
Msuya was appointed to the global organization as the
deputy executive director, at the level of assistant secretary-
general of the United Nations, in August this year.
She previously worked with the World Bank and is
consistently advocating for conservation of the planet.
Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • December 2018
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