Securing a safe water supply for the world

Washington, March 22 (ANI): An international team of scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) are working on securing a safe water supply for the world.

In a densely populated world, droughts and floods are causing more damage than ever before.

Helmholtz scientists in the research field Earth and Environment are working on solutions to precisely these problems.

In cooperation with partners from other countries and in multidisciplinary teams, they are looking at the issue from all angles - from its biological aspects to its economic dimensions and the legal framework.

"Our research is targeted towards clarifying how the different aspects of this question interrelate, and making detailed recommendations on the sustainable management of water as a fundamental natural resource," says Professor Jurgen Mlynek, President of the Helmholtz Association.

Some of the research projects currently in progress at Helmholtz Centres on issues including water management, maintenance of water quality, flood risk management and climate research are:

Scientists from the UFZ have launched a joint German and Brazilian project to develop system solutions for the various water-related problems in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Also, a new EU research programme, the Goodwater Initial Training Network (ITN), trains specialists in the field of groundwater research and management, imparting cutting-edge scientific skills.

A consortium including the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, the Institute for Social-Ecological Research and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research is investigating how modern technology can help solve water management problems and how German industry can help achieve water protection goals.

The Water in Central Asia (CAWa) research network aims to develop a sustainable cross-border water management system in five Central Asian states and to provide further training for Central Asian specialists in the field.

Also, specialists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research are developing a sustainable water management solution for the area that straddles Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories to secure an adequate supply of drinking water. (ANI)