The program managing the projects is known as “SUWAC” – an acronym which stands for Sustainability Water Adaptation Climate Change – aims to implement water management projects designed to lessen the impact of climate change to the Dyje river basin that stretches across 15% of the country’s territory and its six regions inhabited by 1.5 million people, mainly in South Moravia and Vysočina. Photo credit: MMB.
Brno, Jun 25 (BD) – With water as a highly important resource, many people are pushing for smarter, innovative ways when it comes to water management. On Monday, a conference introducing SUWAC took place, with Brno’s Mayor Markéta Vaňková present as an ambassador for the program.
The main theme of SUWAC has its basis on sustainable water management in the Dyje river basin. Benefits of the program will include the availability of water for the region, which can be beneficial for the population, agriculture, and industry.
“The real impacts of climate change are increasingly encountered in Brno. An example may be the higher number of incidents caused by dehydration on hot days,” said Mayor Markéta Vaňková.
The mayor also enumerated some of the projects of the city, which involve smarter water management: “The Central Municipal Services Building, and the multifunctional hall at Hall Z in Brno’s Exhibition Center, will be designed with the utmost environmental friendliness and water consumption in mind, using the expertise of top experts.” Mayor Markéta Vaňková also mentioned the city’s subsidy programs, known as “Green Roofs!” and “Catch Rainwater!” – both for the purposes of sustainable water management, which can improve the surrounding area’s temperature, too.
Other participants for SUWAC include the Mayor of Jihlava, Karolína Koubová; Member of Parliament, Roman Onderka; and Member of European Parliament, Michaela Šojdrová. Attendees of the conference included representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of the Environment, the founder of SUWAC, Michal V. Marek, and the Chairwoman of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Eva Zažímalová.
The Czech Republic as a whole has been suffering from drought, for a few years now. The drought and dry weather conditions can be caused by many factors, including but not limited to overfarming, lack of water supply due to overpopulation, and climate change.
According to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI), 2014’s data showed low levels of precipitation in the country. A year later, in 2015 they declared that Czechia was suffering from a drought – since then, the severe heat and dry weather have unfortunately become a regular occurrence in the country.
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