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Never before have so many Heads of State, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of leading companies and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), tried so hard to reach an agreement on reducing the human i...

The capability of eight nutrient models to predict annual nutrient losses (nitrogen and phosphorus) at catchment scale have been studied in the EUROHARP project. The methodologies involved in these models differ profoundly in their complexity, level of process representation and data requirements. This evaluation is focused on model performance in three core catchments: the Vansjø-Hobøl (Norway), the Ouse (Yorkshire, UK) and the Enza (Italy). These three different model applications have been evaluated by comparing calculated annual nutrient loads (total N or nitrate and total P), based on observed flow and total nitrogen or nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations, and the annual nutrient loads that were simulated by the eight nutrient models. Four statistics have been applied for this purpose: the root mean squared error (RMSE), the mean absolute error (MAE), the mean error (ME), and Nash¿Sutcliffe¿s model efficiency (NS). The results show that all model approaches can predict the calculated annual discharges. Depending on the observed statistics (RMSE, MAE, ME and NS) the scores of the model application differed, therefore no overall ¿best model¿ could be identified. Although the water and nutrient loads from (sub)catchments can be predicted, the modelled pathways of nutrients within agricultural land and the nutrient losses to surface waters from agricultural land vary among the catchments and among those model approaches which are able to make this distinction., JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resources

In the European Union novel foods are defined by the Novel Foods Regulation as food products and food ingredients that have not been consumed to a significant degree in the European Union before May 1997. However, there are new foods for some reason not considered as novel foods, although it may not be excluded that they differ from conventional foods to such an extent that an assessment of their safety prior to their entry to the market would be called for. Previously, we reported that this ‘grey area’ of novel foods exists and comprises: (1) food products or ingredients for which the current Novel Foods Regulation leaves too much space for different interpretations and (2) food products or ingredients that are not novel according to the current Novel Foods Regulation, because it contains gaps. This paper focuses on how to handle these interpretation differences and gaps and provides recommendations to improve these pitfalls of the current Novel Foods Regulation. To this end, we propose criteria with clear boundaries as part of an assessment tool to reduce the uncertainties in interpretation with respect to consumption to a significant degree in the European Union, which take into account the commercial availability, length, extent and frequency of use of the particular food/ingredient. In addition, biological relevant boundaries for the criteria regarding changes in the nutritional value, metabolism (better all aspects of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion), and levels of undesirable substances are proposed for significant changes in the composition of foods due to changes in the production process. In addition, criteria are proposed to cover ambiguities and gaps in the Novel Foods Regulation dealing with food products and food ingredients obtained from 1) animals on a new feeding regime, 2) new varieties of organisms, 3) other growth stages of crops. Finally, a criterion that takes into account the total ingredient intake rather than single product intake is added to deal with the risk of overexposure to substances. Taken together, the proposed boundaries and criteria may contribute to diminishing the interpretation issues regarding the Novel Foods Regulation and thus to reducing the extent of the grey area of novel foods. - See more at: http://www.sciencedomain.org/abstract.php?iid=513&id=30&aid=4443#sthash.PJqUUrBX.dpuf

Mechanistic effect models for ecological risk assessment of chemicals (MEMoRisk)-a new SETAC-Europe Advisory Group

EC-Earth is a new Earth System Model (ESM) based on the operational seasonal forecast system of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Climate and weather forecasting applications share a common ancestry and are build on the same physical principles. The emerging concept of ‘‘seamless prediction’’ forges weather forecasting and climate change studies into a single framework. Employing this concept, EC-Earth benefits greatly from the advances in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) modeling. Even though ESMs like EC-Earth are used for different purposes and time scales compared to NWP models, the quality of long-term predictions relies heavily on accurate simulations of slow components of the Earth system, on precise incorporation of the many interactions between fast and slow processes in the Earth system, and on initialization procedures.

Dit rapport gaat over de aanscherping van de knelpuntenanalyse die is uitgevoerd in de context van de landelijke zoetwaterverkenning.

Part I Introduction and justification of the Monitor Building with NatureThis report describes the Monitor Building with Nature in the IJsselmeer region. When itcomes to implementing the concept of building with nature the main issue is not how it istechnically possible, but whether stakeholders consider it possible and desirable. The monitorgives insight into perceptions of stakeholders and provides possibilities for improvements indecision making and in generating societal support for Building with Nature projects. Theproject that developed this monitor is part of the Building with Nature research andinnovations programme.The monitor has the following goals:Describe the (changes in) perceptions and actions related to ‘building with nature’ inhydraulic engineering projects. Among which:1.Describe the situation of the project at the start of the monitoring, include the history of the project, the broad context, the assignment of the project, and the (formal) involvement of stakeholders.2.Make an inventory of the (developments in) observed threats and opportunities at project level (design, project management, process).3.Make an inventory of the (developments in) observed threats and opportunities for building with nature within the external field of force.4.Make an inventory of perceptions related to improvements and the involvement of the different stakeholders.The focus of the monitor is on perceptions of people who are involved in hydraulicengineering projects. For the development of the monitor, existing monitor approaches areused. The focus of the monitor is gathering of information and has characteristics ofconstructivist monitoring. However, the monitor aims to show the diversity of the availableperceptions and actions. The focus of the monitor is not merely on ‘learning’, although whenthe monitor is used in meetings or workshops, it can contribute to learning about building with nature. The monitor is qualitative of nature, with implicit use of indicators. The monitor is one of the initiatives of monitoring within the Research programme Building with Nature. Oneother initiative is for example the monitoring of the Community of Practice in the IJsselmeerregion.Part II The Monitor – QuestionnaireIn preparing for the use of the monitor, three main questions are to be asked. The firstquestion is: what is the focus in the project? The second question is: who are the respondentsand why? There are no universal criteria, nor are these desirable. And the third question is:how do we use the questionnaire? Are we interested in doing face to face interviews, orinterviews by phone? How the questionnaire is used depends largely on the goal of themonitor and the resources (i.e. time, money, people) availableThe questionnaire consists of four different parts. Part A discusses issues related to buildingwith nature within the project and deals with stakeholders’ perceptions of the concept. Part Bdiscusses factors influencing the feasibility of building with nature. Part C is about placingissues on the agenda and possibilities for improvements. Part D rounds up the questionnaire.For analysing the results of the monitor the following elements compromise the framework ofanalysis:1.Aspects perceived as characteristic for building with nature2.Aspects of building with nature in the project3.Best practices of building with nature according to respondents4.Perceptions of factors and conditions which stimulate or obstruct building with nature.5.Perceptions of the future and future possibilities for realizing building with nature6.Perceptions of action perspectives to realize building with nature on large scale in multiple7.projects in the IJsselmeer region.Part III The Monitor testedTo test the monitor two projects were selected as pilots: the dike strengthening project Edam-Amsterdam and the silt catch pit. Applying the monitor in these projects has lead to animproved version of the monitor and lessons learned on how to apply the monitor. It was notpossible to apply the monitor itself in the dike strengthening project, although the process wasvery useful. We found that interesting projects to apply the monitor also are subject tosensitive issues. Great concern is necessary to deal with these issues. Therefore, sensitiveissues require more preparation time.In the project ‘silt catch pit’ we were able to apply the monitor and make a case description ofthe project. Applying the questionnaire and developing the case description lead toimprovements of the monitor and recommendations on its use.On the development of the monitor, the following is concluded:•Applying the monitor results in a broad insight into the feasibility of the building with nature concept, factors which are of influence and insight into the decision making in building with nature projects.•It is recommended to have an exploratory interview before using the questionnaire. This is necessary to gain enough information relevant for the case description, gain permission to apply the monitor and get in contact with the relevant stakeholders.•Applying the monitor in the silt catch pit showed that it is very suitable to find factors influencing the feasibility of building with nature in projects. Because it was only possible to develop one pilot, we recommend to again reflect critically on the monitor when applied.•Sensitive issues may make a project an (more) interesting one for applying the monitor. However, it may be more difficult to acquire permission for application and it may require more time. During application of the monitor one should be aware of the issues. Demarcation of concepts is important for the sake of comparing results, as the questionnaires are used for different persons and in different moments in time•The questionnaire can be combined with workshops or meetings to stimulate the realization of the building with nature concept.•The case description is based on a monitor that is incomplete and is part of developing the monitor. Therefore the case description should not be used as a complete example and should be considered together with the conclusions and recommendations made.

There is mutual dissatisfaction among policy makers and monitoring specialists about producing what is considered useful information for policy development, implementation and evaluation. Insufficient or inappropriate communication between information users and producers is considered to be a main cause for this water information gap. This paper tests the rugby-ball methodology that has been designed to bridge the gap. The rugby-ball methodology consist of a five step plan that helps policy makers and monitoring specialists to communicate in a proper way and to come to a joint process of defining information needs. The methodology is first tested in a study to assess the information needs for the 4th National Policy Document on Water Management in the Netherlands. From the study it is concluded that the rugby-ball methodology is an important step in bridging the water information gap by better defining what useful information is. The methodology is also improved on the basis of this study by including a structure to support the breakdown of policy objectives into information needs.

Measurements of the water boards have shown that pesticide concentrations in surface water have decreased less than was expected based on model calculations. Possibly, the implementation of spray drift reducing techniques is overestimated in the model calculation. The impact of point sources is probably underestimated. A project was initiated for the quantification and qualification of possible point sources in Dutch agriculture. Several point source entries were identified: e.g. internal and external cleaning of sprayers, filling stations and discharge of transport water from fruit sorting installations. A method was developed to discriminate the contamination of the pesticide activities in their possible impact on surface waters; the POint Source SUrface waters Model (POSSUM).

Het project Samengestelde Peilgestuurde Drainage wordt uitgevoerd door Wageningen UR (PPO en Alterra) in opdracht van het Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat en STOWA. Looptijd van 2008-2011, in het kadere van het Interreg IVa-project Interactief Waterbeheer in de grensregio Vlaanderen-Nederland

Whereas the literature on adaptation is rich in detail on impacts, vulnerability and limits to adaptation, less is known about governance systems that facilitate adaptation in practice. This paper offers preliminary conclusions on the constraints and opportunities for mainstreaming adaptation to climate change into water management in the Netherlands. We use the term mainstreaming for the integration of adaptation actions into ongoing sectoral planning to reduce climate vulnerability. In particular we look at the integration of climate adaptation and water management, currently underway in the implementation of the Dutch Delta Program. The Delta Program is an integral policy program executed by the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. The paper analyses the current implementation of the Delta program in the Netherlands according to the dimensions of the Earth System Governance framework: Architecture, Agents, Adaptiveness, Accountability, Allocation and Knowledge. The analysis suggests that all five governance dimensions are considered to capitalise on opportunities for successfully planning and implementing the Delta Program and its subprograms. Architecture gets most attention at present, but the implementation depends on the subprograms and varies over time. Program bodies generally bring together government agencies from different levels of government (national, provincial, municipal and water boards). A challenge for the new emerging program bodies is to move towards legitimate, accountable ánd adaptive governance. The program so far has little attention for coalitions of government actors and non-government actors or conferring accountability to stakeholders. One of the aims of the Delta Program is innovation of water management. At present science has few strategies analysed or tested to support this innovation. Typical advice includes encouraging innovation through a rich variety of experiments and transition approaches that probe possible directions. Although the Delta Act provides in setting up experiments, financial support is conditional on co-financing and so far subprograms do not plan for such experiments. The fragmented implementation of the delta program could be turned into advantage by recognising different subprograms as a set of experiments, from which actors can learn. The analysis suggests more attention could be given to experiments that test and debate new ideas through collaboration between recognised actors from civil society, policy and science. Promising options for pilots could be the integration of agro-environmental land use systems that regulate regional climate impacts on water systems with new technologies, organisational responsibilities and financial instruments. Here governance faces creating flexible financial instruments that facilitate benefit- and burden-sharing, social learning and that support potentially better-adapted new strategies rather than compensate for climate impacts on existing activities. A challenge remains how to scale up regional pilot results to what is required for long-term national safety

Since the 1950s, large amounts of pesticides were shipped to Africa for locust control, but did not arrive at the proper place or proper time thereby rendering them obsolete. Stockpiles of these pesticides have created a serious problem and The Africa Stockpiles Programme (ASP), launched by FAO, is designed to rid Africa of stockpiles and to dispose of them in an environmentally sound manner (ASP, 2009). From July to August 2007, an investigation mission was organized by FAO pesticide management programme, in collaboration with Wageningen University and Research Centre and the relevant national counterpart institutions of the Ministries of Agriculture and the Ministries of Environment in Mali and Mauritania. During the investigation, three sites in Mali and three sites in Mauretania were visited in the summer of 2007. High concentrations of pesticides were found in soils on the stockpiles. From a riskbased point of view, contaminations are only a risk if they are or may become available. Based on the results obtained and results of analysis of the samples taken, risk reduction proposals have been developed. All proposals are based on stimulation of the possibilities of biological degradation of the pesticides in combination with isolation and preventing rain water from transporting the pesticides. The results were discussed in May 2008 and the first implementation was started in Molodo (Mali) in July 2008.

In the Tadla irrigation perimeter, farmers supplement their irrigation supplies with groundwater, leading to water table depletion in the area. An additional concern is the deteriorating water quality in the area. There is no regulation to control withdrawals of groundwater, and no data are available to quantify groundwater use. The paper demonstrates a method based on remote sensing techniques and field observation data to estimate the ground water use for the 2006 hydrological year. Calculations show that for Tadla, average groundwater use amounts to around 55% of the surface irrigation water use. This is substantial, and requires immediate attention. Policy recommendations are needed to control the use of groundwater and to reach an integral management with the canal water. For exact calculations, data on groundwater levels are needed.

This paper analyses a transition in the Dutch and Hungarian water management. For centuries water management was dominated by actors aiming primarily at flood protection and river regulation, serving mostly the interests of large-scale agriculture. About fifteen years ago the opposition started to grow. Water retention and floodplain rehabilitation was introduced into water management to replace or complement the prevailing flood levee dominated engineering approached. In this paper we try to explain what happened in Hungary and the Netherlands in the period leading up to the breakthrough and in the following years when actors had to deliver on the new direction taken in water management. The paper looks specifically at the role of individuals and the strategies that they –consciously or unconsciously- used in bringing about policy change. Five strategies are explored: to develop new ideas, to build coalitions & sell ideas, to create and use windows of opportunity, to play multiple venues and to orchestrate and manage networks. We discuss the importance of each strategy and what individuals are behind it. Our analysis emphasises the importance of recognition of a new management concept at an abstract level by the responsible civil servants and avocation of the concept by a credible regional coalition. The recognition of a new approach, political attention following a number of major (near) floods and a new government coalition after national elections, provided a clear window of opportunity for changing water management and including climate change considerations. The paper concludes with a discussion of the difficulties faced when trying to mainstream adaptation and implement a new water management plan that runs counter to a nation’s long-established traditions. Ambiguity about the practical implementation of new concepts and the responsibility of different actors facilitated reaching consensus on a new water management plan but seriously hampers implementation in recent years