A project on waste water management and water resources has been implemented in the Comoros and a water consumption charter prepared and widely disseminated.
There are essentially three sources of freshwater: surface water, groundwater and rainwater harvesting. Rainfall varies greatly from island to island and within each island, as well as between seasons and year-to-year. For example, the soils of Njazidja are highly permeable whereas one finds loose soils that are sometimes impermeable on several other islands. The primary source of supply also varies from island to island. Anjouan and Moheli are dependent on surface runoff, while the population of Grande Comore sources mainly from the collection of rainwater and groundwater. During the 1980s, a UNDP project helped to build 22 wells that are still in use on the island of Moroni. These wells continue to be an important part of government water policy, and have provided a base for further multilateral support from partners and NGOs as well as local communities that have completed several water supply systems for these wells. Currently, water shortages persist but are offset by government initiatives. A water analysis laboratory is in operation and water quality monitoring has been strengthened to improve distribution of good-quality water and to reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases. Overall, water sources still often constitute a potential health risk for consumers as they are poorly looked after.
AIMS Regional Synthesis Report for the Five Year Review of Mauritius Strategy for Further Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for Sustainable Development in SIDS (MSI+5)
The report "SIDS-focused Green Economy: An Analysis of Challenges and Opportunities" was launched at COP7 of the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region, which took place in Maputo, Mozambique, from 10 to 14 December 2012.
The Contracting Parties of the Nairobi Convention -among which there are SIDS, i.e., Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles- , the Intergovernmental organisations and...
“Islands are the barometers of international environmental policies. The entire world will first witness their success or their failure on our islands.” These words, of James Michel, the President of Seychelles, deserve to be spoken out loud as delegates from small island developing States (SIDS) gear up to defend their interests at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).
SIDS serve as the guardians of a “planet under pressure,” whose point of no return is...
March 2013: The Global Water Partnership (GWP) March edition of “News Flow” highlights the launch by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and GWP of a joint Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) to improve monitoring and prevention of droughts.
The newsletter features articles on GWP projects and workshops, including on: climate information in the Caribbean; integrated urban water management (IUWM) in El Salvador; water use efficiency in India; flood information in...
