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Alternative Water Sources: Sustainable Groundwater Use
The document outlines the strategic importance of groundwater in South Africa, detailing the legal requirements under the National Water Act and providing technical recommendations for borehole monitoring to prevent depletion and contamination.
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Document type: Guide
Producción, nutrientes, eutrofización y cianobacterias en Uruguay: armando el rompecabezas
The document analyzes the widespread eutrophication of Uruguay's aquatic ecosystems, identifying agricultural intensification as the primary driver of nutrient pollution, particularly phosphorus. It details how climate change exacerbates these symptoms and describes the public health risks posed by toxic cyanobacterial blooms, such as those from the Microcystis aeruginosa complex. The authors argue that current soil conservation practices, like no-till farming, may inadvertently increase soluble phosphorus runoff. They recommend a transition toward neutral or negative phosphorus balances, the use of catch crops, and a shift from a centralized to a decentralized, multi-actor water governance model to effectively mitigate the crisis.
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Document type: Research paper
Comments on the Proposed Rule to Add Mining as a Sector of Projects Eligible for Coverage under FAST-41, FPISC Case 2020–001 / RIN 3121-AA01, 85 Fed. Reg. 75,998 (Nov. 27. 2020)
A joint statement from Earthjustice and numerous environmental and community organizations urging the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council to withdraw a proposed rule that would add mining as a covered sector under FAST-41. The commenters argue that mining's unique environmental risks, including toxic waste and acid mine drainage, require rigorous and flexible permitting rather than the accelerated timelines and limited judicial review provided by FAST-41.
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Document type: Statement
HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE RIVER ASSESSMENT - METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
The report presents the first national assessment of High Conservation Value Rivers (HCVRs) in Nepal, evaluating 50,531 km of rivers based on freshwater status (connectivity and water quality) and freshwater values (biodiversity, recreation, livelihoods, and socio-cultural importance). The assessment identifies that 62% of Nepal's river reaches are HCVR Type 1 (high value, high connectivity, and high water quality), with the Karnali River Basin containing the highest number of these rivers. The report warns that proposed hydropower development on all major rivers poses a significant threat to these ecosystems, particularly in the Karnali basin, which hosts critically endangered species like the Ganges River dolphin and Rara Asala snow trout. It recommends using the HCVR typology to prioritize rivers for protection, management, or restoration to meet national and international biodiversity commitments.
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Document type: Report
Mobilizing Capital for Natural Infrastructure in Canada: A guide for project champions and funders
The document argues that large-scale investment in natural infrastructure lags because research often focuses on broad valuations rather than specific business cases. It proposes a five-step approach for project champions—starting with a driver, identifying a lead beneficiary, developing a pitch, establishing partnerships, and securing catalyst funding—to bridge the gap between feasibility and finance. For funders, it recommends supporting targeted research, convening beneficiaries, helping projects achieve scale, and providing dedicated predevelopment support.
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Document type: Guide
The Road to Restoration: 3 Steps For Transforming Landscapes
The guide outlines a framework for land restoration consisting of understanding the land's state through social and physical mapping, setting inclusive goals, and establishing tracking systems. It emphasizes that restoration must integrate local expertise and marginalized voices to avoid pitfalls such as planting trees in incorrect locations or violating land rights. Case studies from Kenya, India, Ethiopia, and El Salvador illustrate how data-driven planning and community engagement can maximize carbon sequestration, water quality, and economic benefits.
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Document type: Guide
Nanosilver: What action needs to be taken to protect Canadians from this emerging contaminant?
The document examines the risks associated with nanosilver, a nanomaterial used in over 440 consumer products, and highlights the lack of specific regulations in Canada. It details experimental evidence of nanosilver's toxicity to aquatic life and proposes a regulatory framework including risk assessments, standardized testing, and mandatory labelling.
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Document type: Policy brief
Climate Change in the San Joaquin Valley
The document examines how climate change exacerbates water scarcity, poor water and air quality, and economic instability in the San Joaquin Valley, offering specific adaptation strategies for households and communities.
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Document type: Guide
3 actions to protect people and wildlife from EDCs
The document identifies critical gaps in the EU's approach to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), noting that current laws fail to account for non-monotonic dose responses and the irreversibility of EDC effects. It argues that the EU has a legal and moral obligation under the precautionary principle to prevent harm, particularly to vulnerable populations like children. To address these failures, the brief proposes three primary actions: launching a broad REACH restriction for already identified EDCs based on existing lists, updating chemical screening systems through implementing acts and guidance to eliminate 'blind spots', and adopting a new legislative act to create a coordinated, continuously updated EU list of EDCs that automatically triggers regulatory consequences across all sectors.
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Document type: Policy brief
PETITION TO THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SEEKING RELIEF FROM VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHEAST ALASKA INDIGENOUS TRANSBOUNDARY COMMISSION RESULTING FROM HARD-ROCK MINING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC), representing fifteen tribal nations, petitions the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for relief against Canada. The petition argues that six hard-rock mines in British Columbia—including the Red Chris, Brucejack, and KSM mines—threaten the Taku, Stikine, and Unuk river watersheds. These mines risk releasing toxic heavy metals and experiencing catastrophic tailings-dam failures, which would devastate salmon and eulachon populations essential to the Petitioners' subsistence, health, and cultural identity. The document asserts that Canada has failed its international obligations to prevent transboundary harm and has not obtained the free, prior, and informed consent of the affected Indigenous communities. It further argues that Canadian domestic legal remedies are inadequate for foreign tribes.
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Document type: Report
Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report
The Ceres/WWF AgWater Challenge Progress Report evaluates the efforts of a cohort of global food and beverage companies to address water risks in their agricultural supply chains. It details specific company achievements in sustainable sourcing, water-risk assessments, and regenerative agriculture, while identifying five key lessons for corporate water stewardship, including the necessity of funding transitions for farmers and the importance of holistic, soil-health-focused approaches over single-issue programs.
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Document type: Report
We must address racial inequality and injustice before we can meet the challenge of climate change
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) asserts that climate change cannot be effectively addressed without first tackling systemic inequality and injustice. The organization emphasizes that the costs of climate action must not fall unfairly on marginalized groups, and the benefits of a clean energy economy must be shared broadly. EESI highlights its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through initiatives such as supporting on-bill financing for low-income rural families and focusing on the resilience of marginalized coastal communities affected by pollution and environmental disasters.
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Document type: Statement
Developing Enterprise Water Targets Informed by Local Contexts: Cargill’s Approach
The document outlines a methodology for companies to set water targets based on local catchment contexts rather than just direct operations. Using Cargill as a case study, it details a process of prioritizing value chain sections, assessing risks via the Aqueduct tool suite, and setting proportional targets. Cargill committed to restoring 600 billion liters of water and reducing five million kilograms of pollutants.
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Document type: Case study
Reviving the Dead Zone
The report analyzes the link between synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in the Midwest and the formation of a hypoxic 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Mexico. It estimates that agricultural nitrogen losses have caused between $552 million and $2.4 billion in annual damages to Gulf fisheries and marine habitat ecosystem services since 1980. The authors argue that shifting to sustainable agricultural practices—such as cover cropping and conservation tillage—can reduce these losses, providing a significant return on investment by restoring marine productivity and improving soil resilience for farmers.
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Document type: Report
PROVISION OF WATER TANKS AND RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY TO EMALAHLENI COMMUNITIES AS A MATTER OF URGENCY
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has petitioned Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to urgently provide water tanks and tankers to communities in eMalahleni, including Extension 11, Empumelelweni, Extension 14, and Coronation. These areas have lacked reliable water supply since September 2019, forcing residents to rely on contaminated streams polluted by coal mines and industry. The CER argues that this lack of water violates constitutional rights and severely hinders COVID-19 prevention efforts, as residents cannot perform essential handwashing. The letter calls for immediate government intervention to provide both emergency relief and sustainable long-term water access.
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Document type: Statement
INFORME FINAL EVALUACIÓN REGIONAL DEL AGUA - ERA
The report details a comprehensive water assessment for the CORPOCHIVOR region in Colombia, employing the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system to analyze the Garagoa, Lengupá, Guavio, and Upía sub-basins. It establishes a baseline of water availability and demand, identifies critical micro-basins such as those in Úmbita and Ciénaga, and projects impacts under climate change scenarios to 2040. Key findings highlight a general lack of water retention capacity, deteriorating water quality in main river channels, and a discrepancy between official water concessions and potential actual demand in agricultural areas.
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Document type: Report
Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change
The document outlines a variety of U.S. federal programs—spanning the EPA, FEMA, HUD, NOAA, USDA, and USFWS—that provide grants, loans, and technical support for nature-based solutions. These projects, such as wetland restoration, green roofs, and urban forestry, are designed to reduce climate-related hazards like flooding and heat waves while providing carbon sequestration and economic co-benefits. The fact sheet details the eligibility and specific applications of these resources, illustrating their use through examples in cities and states across the U.S.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change
The document outlines federal resources for nature-based solutions (NbS), which include green and natural infrastructure designed to increase resilience to climate impacts like flooding and extreme heat. It details specific programs from agencies such as the EPA, FEMA, HUD, NOAA, USDA, and USFWS, highlighting their eligibility criteria and providing real-world examples of projects, such as wetland restoration in California and urban forestry in Oregon. The text emphasizes that NbS can be more cost-effective than traditional engineered projects and provide co-benefits like carbon sequestration and improved water quality.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Coastal Resilience in the Great Lakes Region
The document details efforts to enhance coastal resilience in the Great Lakes region through nature-based solutions, such as wetland restoration and climate-smart agriculture. It highlights the role of the Coastal Assembly in coordinating bi-national wetland restoration and the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission's (GLIFWC) use of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to assess species vulnerability. The briefing also emphasizes the importance of soil health in carbon sequestration and the need for federal policy modernization, including updates to the Stafford Act and expanded funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
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Document type: Briefing
The Role of Gypsum Soil Amendments in Reducing Coastal Nutrient Run-off in Finland
The document examines the use of gypsum, an industrial by-product from phosphorus fertilizer extraction, to mitigate nutrient pollution in the Baltic Sea. Pilot projects in Finland, including Project SAVE and research in the River Vantaanjoki basin, indicate that gypsum improves soil structure and reduces phosphorus losses to waterways by approximately 50%. While the practice is recommended for coastal drainage areas, researchers caution against its use in lake drainage basins or groundwater recharge areas due to the risk of sulfate loading and subsequent eutrophication. Large-scale application across Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland could potentially achieve 10% of the phosphorus reductions targeted by the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.
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Document type: Policy brief