United Nations Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) - DTE - 13/01/23

Context:
A report was recently released by United Nations Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) that stated that world will lose 26% storage by 2050 to trapped sediment.
Relevance:
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About UNU-INWEH:
-UNU-INWEH was established in 1996 as subsidiary body of the United Nations University (UNU) institutes and an academic arm of the UN.
-Its operations are secured through long-term host-country and core-funding agreements with the Government of Canada.
-The Institute is located in Hamilton, Canada; its facilities are supported by McMaster University.
-It specializes on water for development, working, primarily with countries in the Global South, and addressing water issues of global significance.

->Important findings of the report:
-About 50,000 large dams across the world will lose 24-28 % water storage capacity by 2050 due to sediment trapped in them.
-These water reservoirs have already lost about 13-19 % capacity to sedimentation.
-United Kingdom, Panama, Ireland, Japan and Seychelles will experience highest water storage losses by 2050 losing between 35% and 50% of their original capacities.
-Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Guinea and Niger will be five least-affected countries losing less than 15 % by 2050. Dredging can be costly and only temporary.

->Major highlights of the report in the Asia-Pacific region:
-Asia has 35,252 large dams, making it the world’s most heavily dammed region.
-Region has 60% of the world’s population and water storage is crucial for sustaining water and food security.
-In 2022, region will lose 13% of its initial dam storage capacity.
-It will lose nearly a quarter (23%) of initial storage capacity by 2050.

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