Hello there, I am Marvin Tejada, an architect, environmental planner and an urbanist, with specialist interest in water urbanism, ecology, sustainability, heritage conservation, environmental planning, and biodiversity. I am a member of International Water Association (IWA), International Water Resource Association (IWRA), Eastern Regional Organization for Planning and Human Settlements (EAROPH), Heritage Conservation Society (HCS), Society of Ecological Restoration (SER) and the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP). Thank you for your warm welcome!

Un dia para Celebrar🌿

The Mediterranean Action Plan of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP)
Official webpage: https://www.unep.org/unepmap/index.php/who-we-are

It seems that UNEP/MAP does a lot of work related to water and drought, sometimes with a unique 'ocean perspective'. On its webpage we can find a lot of useful information.

The Mediterranean Action Plan of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP) is a regional cooperation platform established in 1975 as the first regional action plan under the UNEP Regional Seas Programme.

The Regional Seas Programme launched in 1974 to coordinate activities aimed at the protection of the marine environment through a regional approach. UNEP/MAP became a model for other UNEP-administered Regional Seas Action Plans around the world.

UNEP/MAP was instrumental in the negotiation and adoption of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) and its Protocols by the Contracting Parties: 21 Mediterranean countries and the European Union.

The Barcelona Convention and its Protocols constitute a unique and advanced multilateral legal framework for the protection of the marine and coastal environment and sustainable use of their resources in the Mediterranean.

The UNEP/MAP–Barcelona Convention system is the comprehensive institutional, legal and implementation framework that the Contracting Parties have adopted for concerted action to fulfill the vision of a healthy Mediterranean Sea and Coast that underpin sustainable development in the region.

Over the last four decades, the UNEP/MAP—Barcelona Convention system has responded to evolving environmental challenges and bolstered a growing body of knowledge on marine and coastal ecosystems and of interactions between development and environment in the Mediterranean region.

Hello everyone!
What a pleasure to be part of this inspiring community!
I'm Dieudonne Ilboudo, a water and environment specialist currently working at the General Office of Agropastoral Development and Irrigation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animals and Fisheries Resources of Burkina Faso.
My work focuses on sustainable water resource management, soil conservation, land reclamation, and environmental preservation. I have over four years of experience in community projects promoting climate change adaptation, integrated water resource management, and the development of rice-growing lowlands.
I recently led initiatives on the management of invasive aquatic plants, transforming them into valuable resources such as compost and biochar to support local agriculture and the circular economy. I am passionate about drought resilience (Zai and Half-Moon Techniques) and ethical, inclusive, and innovative approaches to natural resource governance, and I strive to integrate local knowledge and community participation into all aspects of my work.
I look forward to learning, collaborating, and contributing to this dynamic network !

Dear community,

I am Moussa from Morocco.
I work as a research assistant and consultant in rural developement. My research and operational project focus on water harvesting and GIAHS (Globally Important Agriculture Heritage System) based on Argan tree in the Souss Massa region.

I am happy to join this community to learn together.
Thank you

Moussa Ait el kadi

Can AI Really Predict Drought?

Imagine if we could see the drought before it comes and act before it's too late.

That’s what AI promises give a chance to look into the future and protect our farms, rivers, and communities.

But here’s the truth:
AI only learns from what we give it.
If our data is poor, broken, or missing…
The system can’t help us. It won’t see the warning signs.
And that means farmers might suffer. Crops might fail.
And decisions will come too late.

So the real question isn’t just “Can AI predict drought?”
It’s:
Are we giving AI the right tools to learn?

We need to invest in better data, stronger systems, and local knowledge because every piece of information can save lives, protect water, and secure our future.

🤖 AI is not magic.
It’s a tool and we must build it wisely.

Is Drought Forecasting Helpful? Why It Matters for Better Decisions

Our lives depend on the choices we make. These choices shape our future. Now, think bigger—about a country, its economy, and millions of people. Their future depends on good decisions too. This is why drought forecasting is important. If we know early about dry times ahead, we can prepare better. This helps us make smart decisions to save water, protect crops, and keep people safe.

Drought forecasting is not just about guessing if it will rain or not. It uses many tools and methods to give us clear information about the future:
1) Drought indices are numbers that show how dry the land is, like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and others.
2) Models: Scientists use weather and climate data with computer models to predict drought.

3) Artificial intelligence and machine learning learn from past data to improve drought predictions.
4) Advanced tools platforms like Climate Engine and SEED-FD help monitor droughts and predict sudden dry spells.
5) The hybrid approach that combines different methods, gives better and more reliable forecasts.
These tools help governments and communities prepare for droughts earlier and make better decisions. It means fewer surprises and less damage. In short, drought forecasting helps us manage risks and protect lives. Without it, we make decisions too late. With it, we are ready and strong. The future depends on what we do today. Drought forecasting gives us the information to make good choices.

Dear CLP members,
It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be part of this diverse global community as a co-chair. I am looking forward to working with you to contribute towards our shared goals of addressing droughts, reversing desertification and building resilience against disasters across the globe.
In this message, let me briefly introduce myself. I am working as an Associate Professor of Water Resources planning at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft the Netherlands. My educational background is multi-disciplinary, with a PhD degree in hydrology and water resource, MPhil in Water Resources Management and BSc in Agricultural Engineering. I have about 25 years of professional experience on a wide range of hydrology, water management and disaster risk issues across several countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. I am deeply committed to contribute to address global water, land and drought related challenges. I am passionate to bridge the science-policy-practice gaps, and enjoy working with transdisciplinary actors from these arenas. I am actively participating in various drought and water management related networks including IAHS network on Drought in the Anthropocene and UN-Water SDG6 Capacity Development Initiative.

At DiTA network, I am coordinating a webinar series on bridging the science-policy-practice gap. Taking this opportunity, I warmly invite you to the upcoming webinar planned on 26th June (see flyer).

Looking forward to working with you to drive the positive change!
Yours sincerely,
Ilyas Masih

Hello Everyone, I'm Chinthaka and am a newly joined member. Currently, I am a PhD researcher at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand. I am investigating the soil moisture behavioural patterns (especially soil moisture memory - SMM) for enhancing agricultural drought monitoring in mainland Southeast Asia.

I am glad to join the community and look forward to interesting discussions and exchanging knowledge.

Participe do próximo webinário: Uma Terra de Oportunidades: A Economia da Restauração no Brasil
17 de junho | 10h (horário Brasília) | Evento virtual

Em celebração ao Dia Mundial de Combate à Desertificação e à Seca, o G20 Global Land Initiative/UNCCD e o Instituto Terra convidam você para um webinário imperdível sobre a Economia da Restauração — um setor em crescimento que une regeneração ambiental, inovação e empreendedorismo.

Vamos explorar:
✔️ Oportunidades de investimento e aceleração para negócios de Restauração
✔️ Exemplos inspiradores de jovens empreendedores ambientais
✔️ Como fortalecer um ecossistema favorável à restauração e à geração de empregos verdes

Com participação confirmada de representantes do Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima, Instituto Terra, SEBRAE, G20 Global Land Initiative, Quintessa, e Ceres Seeding.

Inscreva-se gratuitamente: https://lnkd.in/e_c-HFg3

Participe, compartilhe, e junte-se a quem está transformando o futuro da terra e da economia!

The Silent Link Between Drought and Contaminated Water
How dry spells intensify pollution and overwhelm treatment systems

When we think of drought, we imagine dry land and vanishing streams. But there's a hidden danger we often ignore: water quality. Drought doesn’t just mean less water; it means dirtier, riskier water too.

Why does water quality get worse during drought?

Less water means pollutants like heavy metals, salts, nutrients, and pathogens become more concentrated. Higher temperatures during drought reduce dissolved oxygen, harming aquatic life and making water taste and smell unpleasant. With rivers and lakes flowing more slowly or even stagnating, harmful algal blooms and bacterial growth can flourish. Exposed soils and increased erosion add sediments, making water cloudy and harder to treat [1].
During droughts, wastewater treatment plants face significant challenges that go far beyond water scarcity. Lower inflows reduce the stream’s ability to dilute pollutants. As incoming water becomes more concentrated, levels of ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, total suspended solids, and total dissolved solids rise sharply, pushing systems toward their operational limits. Warmer water temperatures intensify bacterial activity, increase biochemical oxygen demand, and disrupt processes like sludge settling and aeration [2]. Structural risks also emerge, as dry, contracting soils can crack pipes and degrade infrastructure. These stressors can cause odor issues, algal blooms in clarifiers, and even visible degradation downstream. In extreme conditions, streams may experience stagnant, low-oxygen water, pathogen buildup, and fish kills [3]. Drought doesn’t just challenge our water quantity; it fundamentally strains the capacity, cost, and compliance of water treatment across entire regions [4].
Why does this matter for water treatment?
Most treatment plants are built for “normal” water quality not the extreme concentrations of pollutants seen during drought. Removing nitrates, sulfates, and heavy metals becomes much harder and more expensive. In rural areas without advanced treatment facilities, poor water quality can directly threaten public health. Drought pushes water treatment systems beyond their design limits, risking system failure and unsafe water for millions.
Therefore, the recommendations for wastewater treatment management during drought are:
1. Implement real-time monitoring systems for key water quality parameters such as nutrient concentrations (ammonia, nitrate, phosphate), total suspended solids, and total dissolved solids to detect changes early.
2. Develop and regularly update a comprehensive drought response plan that outlines operational adjustments, resource allocation, and contingency measures to ensure uninterrupted treatment performance.
3. Adjust treatment processes to handle higher pollutant concentrations by optimizing aeration, sludge management, and chemical dosing to maintain treatment efficiency under stressed conditions.
4. Conduct frequent inspections and maintenance of pipelines and treatment infrastructure to prevent damage caused by soil contraction and corrosion during drought.
5. Ensure staff receive regular training on drought-related operational challenges and promote collaboration with environmental agencies for shared resources and expertise.

Reference
[1] Peña-Guerrero MD, Nauditt A, Muñoz-Robles C, et al. Drought impacts on water quality and potential implications for agricultural production in the Maipo River Basin, Central Chile. Hydrol Sci J [Internet]. 2020;65(6):1005–1021.
[2] Marino A, Bertolotti S, Macrì M, et al. Impact of wastewater treatment and drought in an Alpine region: a multidisciplinary case study. Heliyon [Internet]. 2024;10(15):e35290.
[3] Mosley LM. Drought impacts on the water quality of freshwater systems; review and integration. Earth-Science Rev [Internet]. 2015;140:203–214.
[4] Wright B, Stanford BD, Reinert A, et al. Managing water quality impacts from drought on drinking water supplies. J Water Supply Res Technol [Internet]. 2014;63(3):179–188.

Dear colleagues,

I would like to share with you the link to the upcoming webinar titled “When the Rains Fail: Catalyzing Drought Action for Proactive Resilience”, which will be held tomorrow.

Don’t miss the opportunity to join this important discussion on innovative policies, strategic investments, and practical actions aimed at protecting vulnerable communities before drought strikes.

Register here 👉 on.cgiar.org/4dTUHNk

Dear colleagues,
I am pleased to inform you that the book "The Soils of Montenegro" has been published by Springer. It’s a significant contribution to the understanding of our soil diversity and characteristics.
If you are interested, you can access it via the following link:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-82919-2

Porque las buenas notocias llegan desde cualquier rincón: Yasmine Fouad nueva Secretaria Ejecutiva de la CNULD (UNCDD)
https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/stories/yasmine-fouad-egypt-appointe…