UCC and the United Nations are teaming up under a new water initiative
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Academic
The United Nations Environment Programme has chosen UCC to lead the way inassistingwith their Global Environment Monitoring System for Water, (GEMS/Water).
An EU Commission proposed Ireland and Germany to lead the way with the UN's GEMS Water programme.
UCC was chosen to lead the project which will involve other Irish universities such as Trinity, NUI Galway and DCU.
UCC has agreed to lead the co-ordination of the universities following a request from Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan.
President of UCC, Dr. Michael Murphy thanked Minister Hogan for his confidence in the University.
"We would like to express our appreciation to Minister Hogan and the Government for their foresight and confidence in getting the Irish universities involved in this initiative."
UCC's Dr. Debbie Chapman, said "Providing adequate freshwater of sufficient quality to support sustainable development globally in 2015 and beyond is a major challenge"
"By combining the broad and extensive experience in water quality monitoring and management available in Irish universities, we will be making a major contribution to meeting this challenge through our capacity development activities as co-hosts of GEMS/Water."
Dr. Murphy added,"UCC is honoured to be able to lead in the United Nations Environment Programme's GEMS/Water.
"We have significant expertise within UCC and we look forward to working with our partners in NUIG, TCD and DCU who also have important expertise in this area."
In mid 1970s, The Global Environment Monitoring System activity centre was established to coordinate various environmental monitoring programmes globally, particularly within the UN.
It is acollaborationbetween UNEP and other specialised agencies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Evolving from the pollution and water quality components, the Water Programme of GEMS has been carried on till today and has remained true to its original mandate in acquiring water quality data globally.
Under a new partnership agreement a new GEMS/Water Capacity Development Centre will be established by UCC to lead the capacity building activities.
It will partner with the Federal Institute for Hydrology in Germany as co-hosts of the new GEMS/Water Programme and engage with regional and other partners of the GEMS network.
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- Water Quality Monitoring