AVOW - Adaptive Visions of Water

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WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE STUDY OF ALTERNATIVES?

The York Centre for International and Security Studies (YCISS) has organised a steering committee and an advisory committee. Both committees are composed of water experts and practitioners in local development and transboundary cooperation, with those on the steering committee taking the more active role.

The proposal for the study, which has been circulated to both committees, identifies a range of themes in the study of alternatives:

* reduction of demand (reducing large current conveyance losses, changes in agricultural, industrial and personal consumption practices)

* greater water availability using current technologies (grey and black water re-use, rainwater harvesting, improved irrigation, “virtual water”)

* other sources of new water (desalination, a sea pipeline from Turkey, an overland canal from Turkey), and Jordan River restoration.

The next step in the process is convening a steering committee meeting to 1) revise and adopt the workplan and 2) revise and approve proposals to major funders for the studies of alternatives. After the steering committee meeting, planned for July-August 2007, the studies will formally begin.

After the studies by the working groups, a conference will bring all participants together for a presentation of their strategies to the wider community, for feedback and consideration as part of an evolving wider vision.

A view of the Northern basin - Photo: Eric Abitbol

The final revisions of each group’s work will be prepared for publication as a peer-reviewed book. A policy paper will bring together these different voices into one clear, solid and effective alternative strategy to the RSDSC, which will be circulated among the experts and policy makers in the regional water community. To popularise the alternative visions, the project will create a publication containing abridged versions of the book chapters and additional items of interest. This publication will be circulated widely throughout the region. The project will take about two years.