Water is life, sustaining ecosystems and regulating our climate. But it’s a
fi nite resource, and less than 1% of the world’s fresh water is accessible
for direct human use. Europe needs to learn the value of one of its most
precious yet scarce resources.
Competition for water poses a growing risk to the economy, communities
and the ecosystems they rely on. If climate change keeps raising average
temperatures across Europe, water is expected to become even scarcer in
many areas, so it is vital to fi nd solutions to protect this resource.
Drought refers to a temporary decrease in water availability, for example,
when it doesn’t rain over a long period of time. Water scarcity, on the other
hand, occurs when demand for water exceeds the available sustainable
resources. This is something we must learn to prevent.
An adequate supply of good-quality water is a pre-requisite for economic
and social progress, so we need to do two things: we must learn to save
water, and also to manage our available resources more effi ciently.rapid, sustainable impact. Ultimately, the challenge is to
respond to the crisis and make a lasting difference to peoples’
lives.
What does GRIDMAP do?
GRIDMAP assesses the availability of groundwater resources
of target areas and determines which resources can be utilized
safely for emergency and long-term development situations.
The initiative also strengthens the drought preparedness of
local, national and regional actors by building the capacity to
sustainably manage groundwater resources. Ultimately,
GRIDMAP aims to build the resilience of populations
vulnerable to drought and famine.
Priority Areas
1. Identifying and mapping regional groundwater resources
for emergency situations and long-term development
2. Developing Groundwater Management Tools to Combat
Drought
3. Building skills and capacities for managing groundwater for
drought and conflict mitigation
Expected outcomes (2012-2013)
Increased access to water for thousands of vulnerable
populations
Precise understanding of where safe groundwater resources
exist and how much can be used for emergency and long-term
development needs.
Sustainable skills in groundwater assessment and
management built.