The Stream, December 23: Water Plant Invades Uganda Lakes

The Global Rundown

An invasive water weed is spreading in Uganda’s Lake Albert and Lake Kyoga, posing a threat to fisheries, government officials said. Britain issued more flood warnings Tuesday in many of the areas hit earlier this month by Storm Desmond, and the World Bank committed more funding to improve water management in the Indus River Basin. Countries should increase their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to capitalize on the momentum from Paris, a group of researchers said. Farmers along the India – Bangladesh border are struggling to irrigate their land. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expediting a review of the cleanup of a Hudson River Superfund site.

“Let’s ensure that the political momentum built up in Paris – involving 150 head of states and prime ministers – do not fade away. As we have seen INDC formulation processes and content formulation from the inside, we know that there is a lot of room for realistic and feasible improvements towards higher ambition.”–Researchers at the Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy, in a statement urging countries to increase their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Current commitments would not limit global temperatures to an increase of 2 degrees Celsius. (Climate Home)

By The Numbers

17 flood warnings Number in place in Britain Tuesday, many of them in areas that were hit by severe flooding from Storm Desmond earlier this month. Guardian

$35 million Amount the World Bank is giving to Pakistan to improve water management and development in the Indus River Basin. The Economic Times

Science, Studies, And Reports

Giant salvinia, an invasive water plant native to Brazil, is taking over large areas of Lake Albert and Lake Kyoga in Uganda. Egypt offered to help Uganda research ways to control the plant, which can reduce oxygen levels in the water and poses a threat to fisheries. Daily Monitor

On The Radar

A border fence meant to limit illegal migration from Bangladesh to India is inhibiting farmers’ ability to irrigate their crops. Irrigation is now necessary due to changing rainfall patterns, and harvests in areas without irrigation are two-thirds lower. Reuters

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will begin reviewing the cleanup of a contaminated Superfund site in the Hudson River next year, one year before it was scheduled to do so. Environmental groups and other federal agencies argue that the site has not been sufficiently cleaned of contaminants. Associated Press

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek