Happy New Year

2013 has commenced with the weather extremes except this time it is not flood but heat and fire. Over recent years Australia has experienced major weather events as has the US, Europe and parts of Asia and South America. While we cannot attribute these extreme weather events to the impact of climate change, nonetheless we are witnessing profound changes in in weather conditions. Let us be mindful at this time of the many people in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania for whom these weather events have had catastrophic consequences.

You may or may not be aware that 2013 has been declared the International Year of Water Cooperation by the United Nations. The objective of the International Year is to raise awareness, both on the potential for increased cooperation, and on the challenges facing water management in light of the increased demand for water access, allocation and services. The Murray Darling agreement is one of those water cooperation challenges. The Year will highlight the history of successful water cooperation initiatives, as well as identify burning issues on water education, water diplomacy, transboundary water management, financing cooperation, national/international legal frameworks, and linkages with the millennium goals. As the year progresses we will update this UN Year on Water Cooperation and progress being made. For more information visit https://www.unwater.org /watercooperation2013.html