#transboundary

[echoesoftime-heritagechronicles]

An Ode to Gandak

he year of 2022 brought with itself a little surprise for me; a surprise that helped me embark on a journey that I will cherish for a lifetime. In the month of August, as I was scrolling through the posts of Instagram, I came across a post by SPRF (Social Policy Research Foundation), inviting applications for the third edition of Water Seekers’ Fellowship. The fellowship is a brainchild of SPRF…

[truechatinc]

Wildfires in Canada are having a large impact on the air quality in the northeast region of the United States. Who is at risk and what can you do to protect yourself and the people around you? Justin and Lance discuss safety recoomendations and how indengenous knowledge can help us better manage wildfires. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackon, wildfires, Canada, air quality, United States, environmental impact, cross-border, transboundary, climate change, forest fires, natural disasters, pollution, health effects, smoke, emergency preparedness, ecological impact, regional cooperation, atmospheric conditions, public health, environmental policies, smoke dispersion, climate resilience

[nudiblue]

New wind. . #fourthelement_expedition #transboundary(Miyakojima-shi, Okinawa, Japan에서) https://www.instagram.com/p/CozXIampOm-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[nepalenergyforum]

Nepal’s Industrialists Challenge Energy Policies Amid Discussions of Transboundary Energy Transition

Industrialists in Nepal have expressed their concern over the implementation of demand-side management (DSM) by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The DSM measures, which impose load shedding on industries, have spurred discontent within the Nepal Industrial Enterprises Association. During a recent meeting, industry representatives articulated their grievances, claiming that while they are…

[pebblegalaxy]

Taliban's Chitral River Dam: Unraveling Regional Water Security and Relations in South and Central Asia

Taliban's Chitral River Dam: Unraveling Regional Water Security and Relations in South and Central Asia #TalibanDam #WaterSecurity #Geopolitics #ChitralRiver #KunarRiver #Diplomacy #RegionalRelations #SouthAsia #CentralAsia #IndusWatersTreaty #Taliban

The very essence of South Asia and Central Asia’s water security pivots on the lifeblood provided by transboundary rivers such as the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Amu Darya. These vital arteries sustain the lives, livelihoods, and ecological equilibrium of millions across Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.…

[allthecanadianpolitics]

An Alaska-based coalition of Indigenous governments has applied to be part of a B.C. environmental review process. Representatives of the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission say they're concerned about the environmental impacts of a proposed project that would see work resume at Eskay Creek, a former open-pit gold mine. The mine, which mining company Skeena Resources hopes to revive, lies about 85 kilometres northwest of Stewart, B.C. Skeena's proposal would see workers make use of some of the old mine's existing facilities, extracting up to three million tonnes of gold and silver ore per year. The proposed mine would be in operation for nine years. If the Alaska coalition is successful, it would be the first time in history that U.S.-based tribes are granted the ability to participate this way in Canada.

Continue Reading

Tagging @politicsofcanada

[reasonsforhope]

"One of the last wild rivers in Europe, home to more than 1,000 animal and plant species, has been declared a national park by the Albanian government, making the Vjosa the first of its kind on the continent.

The Vjosa River flows 168 miles (270kms) from the Pindus mountains in Greece through narrow canyons, plains and forests in Albania to the Adriatic coast. Free from dams or other artificial barriers, it is rich in aquatic species and supports myriad wildlife, including otters, the endangered Egyptian vulture and the critically endangered Balkan lynx, of which only 15 are estimated to remain in Albania.

For years, the Vjosa’s fragile ecosystem has been under threat: at one point as many as 45 hydropower plants were planned across the region.

But on Wednesday, after an almost decade-long campaign by environmental NGOs, Vjosa was declared the first wild river national park in Europe. Environmentalists described it as a historic decision that has placed the tiny Balkan nation at the forefront of river protection...

A Model for Conservation

Mirela Kumbaro Furxhi, Albania’s tourism and environment minister, said the creation of the park was part of the country’s evolution and continuing emancipation three decades on from communist rule.

“Vjosa is a symbol of human history and also a very important part of the history of our country,” she said. “Maybe Albania does not have the power to change the world, but it can create successful models of protecting biodiversity and natural assets, and we are proud to announce the creation of this first national park on one of the last wild rivers in Europe.”

The country, which attracted 7.5 million visitors last year, more than twice its 2.8m population, hopes to regenerate villages in the Vjosa region through ecotourism.

Details of the National Park

... The 12,727 hectare (31,500 acre) park aims to ensure the Vjosa and its unique ecosystems are safeguarded. It has been given IUCN category II park status, a high level of protection similar to that of a wilderness. The categorisation covers “large-scale ecological processes”, species and ecosystems, crucial to ensuring dams and gravel extraction are banned. It is expected to be operational in 2024...

The park will encompass the 118 miles of the Vjosa in Albania, three main tributaries, and some land, including areas at risk of flooding. Phase II will add other tributaries. Unlike the IUCN’s Wilderness Protected Areas, which limit the number of visitors, it will allow recreational tourism and some other activities such as local fishing, particularly for 60,000 residents in the catchment.

The Albanian government is starting a joint process with the Greek authorities to create the Aoos-Vjosa transboundary park, aiming to protect the entire river across both countries, who agreed in January to sign a memorandum of understanding specifying the next actions.

Wild Rivers in Europe

Europe has the most obstructed river landscape in the world, with barriers such as dams, weirs and fords, estimated to number more than a million, according to a 2020 EU study in 28 countries. Such fragmenting of rivers affects their ability to support life.

Ulrich Eichelmann, a conservationist and founder of Riverwatch and part of the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign, said: “Most people in central Europe have never ever seen a wild, living river, free from the impacts of human interference, that isn’t diverted or dammed or built up with embankments and where biodiversity is low as a result. But here, you have a wild river, full of complexity and without interference.”"

-via The Guardian (US), 3/15/23

[blueiscoool]

undefined

Amur leopards

The Amur leopard is a leopard subspecies native to the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and northern China. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as in 2007, only 19–26 wild leopards were estimated to survive in southeastern Russia and northeastern China. It is considered one of the rarest cats on Earth.

As of 2015, fewer than 60 individuals were estimated to survive in Russia and China. Camera-trapping surveys conducted between 2014 and 2015 revealed 92 individuals in an 8,398 km2 (3,242 sq mi) large transboundary area along the Russian-Chinese border. In 2019, it was reported that the population was about 90 leopards. In 2021, it was reported the population was about 110 individuals.

@itseriksen

[davidluongart]

Something for my close friend, Arja (@greypetrel of the @thelastbacchae); as her birthday is coming soon, and I hoping that all of these three gods bring us a good year, too. ❤️💕

Dionysus's golden grapevine patterned vest was inspired by the maximalist designs of the Indian fashion designer, Rahul Mishra and his runway exhibition in The Tree Of Life, Couture 2022. And for the surrounding background, I was inspired by modern minimalist industrial club design; mixing with the Mediterranean background that the gods was born and raised in; and some vibrant tropical foliage. (a nod of his travelings to the East) I had to admit that, since Dionysos and Ariadne themselves were too versatile and multifaceted as gods with beautiful contrasts historically; choosing their outfit and their own sense of fashion styles in order to echoing their juxtaposition is very difficult; beside normal club fashion styles. Transhuman, transgender, transnational, transboundary and always in transitory places between the liberating pure chaotic madness and the core of human civilization.

P/S: Also to Arja herself, drawing them makes me miss the times that I often go out and club with friends, tbh.

[nudiblue]

날아갈 것 같은 기분. 우리가 여행에서 매일 느끼는 기분이죠. . 다음 여행은 5월입니다. . #여행 #바다 #친구만들기 #transboundary(Maldives에서) https://www.instagram.com/p/CohqkKZv6bu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thedalatribune]

© Paolo Dala

Water And Nations

Water separates and connects states. By serving as a boundary or flowing across man-made borders, surface and ground waters require states to interact. With issues including navigation, the quantity and quality of water flowing from one country to another, or the environmental, economic and social impacts of infrastructure like dams or vast irrigation schemes beyond borders, such topics often become part of diplomatic interactions between countries. Results of such diplomatic interactions have yielded numerous bilateral and basin-wide agreements in recent decades, such as the '1964 Lake Chad Convention', the '1972 Senegal Agreement', the '1994 Danube River Protection Convention', or the '1995 Mekong Agreement', aiming at institutionalizing cooperative relations over time. Moreover, diplomatic efforts at the global level have led to two global conventions1 that codify generally accepted principles of international water law. At the same time, the role of water as trigger, amplifier or cause for interstate hostilities or even violent interaction has been widely discussed in academia and has placed it on the agenda of global actors. Historical records and contemporary experiences show that shared water resources can be both a source of conflict and of cooperation.

In spite of significant progress made on cooperation over shared water resources, they (similar to other environmental issues) pose some peculiar challenges to diplomats and diplomatic processes: First, water is mobile. Water flows, evaporates, and precipitates. It can be stored, but only in limited quantities and not permanently. Flows of surface and groundwater therefore often transcend borders while also maintaining a physical presence in different territories which challenges traditional claims of sovereignty. Water cannot be “owned” by one country as can coal reserves, oil, or forests.

Second, water is variable and the volume of water in a transboundary river, lake, wetland, or aquifer varies from year to year depending on precipitation and weather patterns, increasingly impacted by climate change. Exact measurements of water availability and forecasts are difficult and expensive to conduct, even with modern technologies. All planning and negotiations therefore take place with some, and sometimes high, uncertainty over the object of negotiation.

Third, humans and nature depend on water as the basis of life. This does not only concern survival of the individual, but also of the social fabric and the way economic and political systems have developed. In addition, water has a substantive spiritual significance for many people and societies, for example related to its holy status in many religions or indigenous cultures. Thus, governments making decisions about water have to consider many stakeholders, needs, interests, and values.

As a consequence, those responsible for addressing transboundary water problems have and still do struggle in addressing the complexity of shared water resources in an equitable, effective, and sustainable way. Likewise, research that analyzes these attempts has faced challenges in adequately addressing the multi-disciplinarity of the problem.

Jenniver Sehring, Susanne Schemeir, Rozemarijn ter Horst, Alyssa Offutt, and Bota Sharipova Diving into Water Diplomacy - Exploring the Emergence of a Concept

[mulaasritha]

Tides of Change Addressing Global Garbage on Alaska's Beaches

Alaska's pristine coastline, often celebrated for its rugged beauty and untamed wilderness, faces a growing threat: an influx of garbage from around the globe. Despite its remote location, Alaska's beaches are not immune to the pervasive problem of marine debris, with trash washing ashore from distant shores. From plastic bottles to fishing gear, this garbage poses a significant environmental hazard, endangering wildlife and spoiling the natural beauty of these coastal landscapes.

While Alaska's beaches may seem isolated, they serve as a final destination for marine debris carried by ocean currents from far-flung regions. Discarded items from coastal communities, commercial fishing vessels, and even overseas shipping contribute to the mounting problem of garbage washing up on Alaska's shores. Once ashore, this debris can persist for years, polluting habitats, entangling marine life, and leaching harmful chemicals into the environment.

The impact of marine debris on Alaska's coastal ecosystems is profound. Wildlife, including seabirds, marine mammals, and fish, often mistake plastic fragments for food, leading to ingestion and starvation. Entanglement in discarded fishing nets and lines can prove fatal for marine animals, hindering their ability to feed, swim, and reproduce. Moreover, the accumulation of garbage diminishes the aesthetic value of Alaska's beaches, tarnishing their allure for residents and visitors alike.

Addressing the issue of global garbage on Alaska's beaches requires a concerted effort at local, national, and international levels. Coastal communities must implement waste management strategies to reduce the amount of trash entering marine environments, including recycling programs, beach cleanups, and public education campaigns. Collaboration between government agencies, non-profit organizations, and industry stakeholders is essential to coordinate cleanup efforts and promote sustainable practices.

Furthermore, international cooperation is vital to address the root causes of marine debris, including plastic pollution and improper waste disposal. Multilateral agreements, such as the Basel Convention and the International Maritime Organization's MARPOL Annex V, aim to regulate the transboundary movement of hazardous waste and prevent marine pollution. By strengthening these agreements and enforcing regulations, the global community can mitigate the impacts of marine debris on Alaska's beaches and beyond.

In conclusion, Alaska's beaches are not immune to the scourge of marine debris, with garbage from around the world washing ashore on its pristine shores. The proliferation of plastic pollution, discarded fishing gear, and other waste poses a significant threat to coastal ecosystems and wildlife. Addressing this issue requires collective action at the local, national, and international levels, including waste management initiatives, cleanup efforts, and international cooperation. Only through concerted efforts can we protect Alaska's beaches and preserve their natural beauty for future generations to enjoy.

[graymanbriefing]

Infrastructure Brief: Water Sources BLUF: Private foreign ownership of water resources, geopolitical disputes, and drought all threaten U.S. water access.  The Government Accountability Office has found that 14 publicly traded water companies have inaccurate or missing ownership data. These utilities provide tap water to houses in 33 states. The 'World Water Council' found that "among the largest water systems, private ownership is related to higher water prices and less affordability" and private ownership could be foreign owned or controlled. A source at California’s Resource Management warned that "foreign interests are buying up U.S. farms and water rights." Foreign conglomerates own more than 38 million acres of U.S. land, including those with sources of water. Industry analysts project that 63 million U.S. citizens only have access to "unsafe" tap water. 44% of the continental U.S. is suffering from drought conditions that further limit water access. The National Security Council estimates that "transboundary tensions probably will increase over shared surface and groundwater basins as increased weather variability exacerbates preexisting or triggers new water insecurity in many parts of the world" this due in part to drought and solar geoengineering. The council expects increased disputes over water sources globally and in the U.S. 》Sources: https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/NIE_Climate_Change_and_National_Security.pdf | https://scholar.google.com/scholar_url?url=https://iwaponline.com/wp/article-pdf/24/3/500/1028866/024030500.pdf | https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-291.pdf | https://www.dro...(CLASSIFIED, the remainder of this briefs and sources are available at www.graymanbriefing.com)