Media roundup - clean water, WASH news, November 5, 2021

5 min read
Image: WaterAid/ DRIK/ Habibul Haque

November 5, 2021

All the WASH news you might ever need to know!

Here’s how women can lead local water governance in India  
News18: https://www.news18.com/news/mission-paani/heres-how-women-can-lead-local-water-governance-in-india-4398668.html 
 
12,043 children in 11 Borno IDP camps access sanitation, hygiene support — UNICEF 

Premium Times: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/492263-12043-children-in-11-borno-idp-camps-access-sanitation-hygiene-support-unicef.html 

Africa

Ethiopian capital prepares for attack as US warns Tigrayan rebels to stop flash advance 
Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/ethiopian-capital-prepares-attack-us-warns-tigrayan-rebels-stop/  

Ethiopia's Tigray crisis: Report says war crimes may have been committed 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-59143627  
 
Eswatini to set up national forum to solve crisis 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-47639452  
 
Civilians killed in Burkina Faso attacks 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-47639452 
 
Ethiopians urged to defend capital Addis Ababa as rebels advance. 
Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a440fff6-3beb-11ec-9bef-aa3112940013?shareToken=5db0bc7ec523745876f2c66545453676 

Ethiopia’s war marked by ‘extreme brutality’ from all sides: UN 
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/3/ethiopias-war-marked-by-extreme-brutality-from-all-sides-un 

Possible war crimes on all sides in Ethiopian conflict, says report 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/03/possible-war-crimes-on-all-sides-in-ethiopian-conflict-report-tigray?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/4/ethiopia-war-fate-of-tigrayan-federal-forces-still-a-mystery  

Ethiopian leader says he will bury his foes ‘with our blood’ after one year of war 
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/abiy-ahmed-tigray-war-ethiopia-b1950605.html  
 
‘Heartbreaking’: Madagascar on brink of world’s ‘first climate-induced famine’ 
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/madagascar-famine-drought-un-news-b1950604.html  

Up to 100 missing after 21-storey tower collapses onto construction workers in Lagos 
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nigeria-lagos-building-collapse-latest-b1949615.html  
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/3/death-toll-climbs-to-22-in-nigeria-building-collapse  
 
Ethiopia's war one year on: How to end the suffering 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-59151370 

Facebook deletes Ethiopia PM's post that urged citizens to 'bury' rebels 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-59154984 
 
US special envoy due in Ethiopia amid crisis 
BBC: https://bbc.in/3EHA9Vb 
 
TPLF says it has taken another town in Ethiopia conflict 
BBC: https://bbc.in/3EKz8vO 
 
US advises citizens to leave Ethiopia 
BBC: https://bbc.in/3mGmibM 
 
High-profile killings send panic across Liberia 
BBC: https://bbc.in/3BJ8hOS  

Asia

Diwali: Experts fear Covid spike as India sees ‘revenge tourism’ boom for festive weekend 
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/diwali-delhi-revenge-travel-covid-b1950540.html  
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-59133207 

Covaxin: WHO approves India Covid vaccine for emergency use 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-58800168 

Military coup kills higher education dreams in Myanmar 
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/3/military-coup-kills-higher-education-dreams-in-myanmar 

Climate change
 

Drought is deadly for Kenyan women: “We run from men only to meet crocodiles” 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/nov/03/we-run-from-men-only-to-meet-crocodiles-kenyas-drought-is-deadly-for-women 
 
Will Pakistan’s ‘ten billion tree tsunami’ make any difference to climate change? 
Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/will-pakistans-ten-billion-tree-tsunami-make-difference-climate/  

First-of-its-kind agreement sees South Africa receive $8.5bn to ditch coal at Cop26 
Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/south-africa-coal-cop26-fossil-b1949875.html  

COP26: South Africa hails deal to end reliance on coal - promising!
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-59135169  
 
Why Gambians cannot sell their solar power 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-59141416  
 
COP26: India PM Narendra Modi pledges net zero by 2070 - ok then
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-59125143  

Climate change: The Indian village that could disappear under water 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-india-58895749  

Climate change: What, if anything, are the big polluters doing to cut carbon emissions? 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/58956714  
 
COP26: President Biden says China and Russia’s failure to attend climate a big mistake 
Sky: https://news.sky.com/story/cop26-president-biden-says-chinas-failure-to-attend-climate-summit-a-big-mistake-12458265 
 
India has given an extremely distant net zero target and is now asking the world for cash 
Sky: https://news.sky.com/story/cop26-india-has-given-a-distant-net-zero-target-and-is-now-asking-the-world-for-cash-12457388 
 
Cop26: What does India’s 2070 net zero target mean for the world? 
Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/cop26-glasgow-india-net-zero-b1949624.html  
 
Deforestation and methane pledges with 2030 target dates but still a long way to go 
Sky: https://news.sky.com/story/cop26-world-leaders-setting-out-major-deforestation-and-methane-pledges-with-2030-target-dates-12457717 
 
 
Global pollution price could cut greenhouse gases by 12% according to World Economic Forum 
Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/03/global-pollution-price-could-cut-greenhouse-gases-by-12-says-report 
 
This doesn't seem good. COP26: Australia’s promise to do hardly anything
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/03/the-pm-goes-to-glasgow-or-what-scott-morrison-didnt-do-at-cop26 
 
Indigenous activists say their voices are missing at COP26 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/02/cop26-indigenous-activists-climate-crisis 
 
Summers are becoming unbearable – life on the frontline of global heating 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/03/summers-are-becoming-unbearable-living-on-the-frontline-of-global-heating 
 
Cop26: Philanthropists step in to boost funding for poorest countries. 
Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/520f519e-3c16-11ec-a9ce-48a11f44f00d?shareToken=be1d8877485bc339633c0da7311baaaf 

‘Great distress’: Bangladesh bears brutal cost of climate crisis 
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/3/bangladesh-global-warming-climate-crisis-seawater-agriculture 
 
COP26: has to be about keeping fossil fuels in the ground. All else is distraction - opinion 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/03/cop26-fossil-fuels 
 
COP26’ worst outcome would be giving the green light to carbon off-setting - opinion (Greenpeace) 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/03/cop26-carbon-offsetting-greenwashing-paris-agreement 
 
The road is long: Electric cars represent less than 5% of miles driven in Europe 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/nov/03/electric-cars-under-5-per-cent-miles-driven-uber-europe 


Cop26 emission pledges may limit global heating to below 2C 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/03/cop26-emission-pledges-could-limit-global-heating-to-below-2c-india?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 
Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a9993848-3cf3-11ec-a9ce-48a11f44f00d?shareToken=45c5cbc6b99c10c11ab99800806e986e 
 
India’s huge solar uptake has boosted climate goals, says minister 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/03/indias-huge-uptake-in-solar-is-driving-more-ambitious-climate-goals-says-minister?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/cop26-glasgow-india-uk-solar-grid-b1950522.html  
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/cop26-glasgow-india-net-zero-b1949624.html  

Africa’s natural landscapes hold the key to solving our climate crisis 
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/opinion/cop26-africa-kenya-forests-congo-b1950547.html  
 
Fragile countries must be supported if they are to fight climate change 
Indy: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/opinion/climate-finance-justice-cop26-gambia-b1950523.html  

‘No adults in the room’: Leaders criticised for climate inaction 
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/4/scepticism-abounds-as-world-leaders-address-climate-emergency  

Young climate activists and the battle to avert catastrophe 
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/11/3/youth-climate-activists-speak-of-battle-to-avert-climate-crisis  
 
Le Sigh - COP26: oil price soars even as the world turns against fossil fuel 
FT: https://www.ft.com/content/37947e4a-71a1-4c0e-919b-1e3d55ee19ea  
 
Partha Dasgupta: ‘It’s not a giant step to introduce nature into economics’ 
FT: https://www.ft.com/content/4e623732-0b40-406a-af8b-0b01fdae3cab  
 
Valid: where does all the climate finance money go? 
FT: https://www.ft.com/content/d9e832b7-525b-470b-89db-6275853315dd  

Prince Charles’s Terra Carta Seal gives sustainable firms royal approval  
Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2021/11/03/prince-charless-terra-carta-seal-gives-sustainable-firms-royal/ 
 
Climate change: Why are disabled people so affected by the climate crisis? 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-59042087 
 
Oh - Global carbon emissions expected to return to near pre-pandemic levels in 2021, scientists warn 
Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/climate-crisis-global-carbon-emissions-expected-to-return-to-near-pre-pandemic-levels-in-2021-scientists-warn-12459406 
 
COP26 climate change summit: So far, so good-ish 
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59150807 
 
Ecological ‘holocaust’: Women saving India’s Western Ghats forest 
AJ: https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2021/11/4/india-women-guarding-rainforest-western-ghats-climate-crisis  
 

Health

Antibiotic resistance outwitted by British scientist using supercomputers 
Metro: https://metro.co.uk/2021/11/02/antibiotic-resistance-outwitted-by-brit-scientist-using-supercomputers-15528639/ 
 
London accountant who fought Ebola crisis now leading climate battle 
Standard: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/london-accountant-who-fought-ebola-crisis-now-leading-climate-battle-b963880.html 
 
Bill Gates call for huge global effort to prepare for future pandemics 
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/04/bill-gates-call-for-huge-global-effort-to-prepare-for-future-pandemics?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other 
 

COVID-19: 'Millions of years lost' and life expectancy cut short around the world 
Sky News: https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-millions-of-years-lost-and-life-expectancy-cut-short-around-the-world-12458998 
 
African regions could see HIV spike - UN Aids agency 
BBC: https://bbc.in/3mFwfGm 

WaterAid in the news

Ernest Randriarimalala was on Sweden’s main news programme last night talking about the drought and famine in Southern Madagascar, pegged to the President of Madagascar’s speech at COP 
SVT: https://www.svtplay.se/video/31743794/aktuellt/aktuellt-2-nov-21-00-4?id=e7o2L6d&position=530   
 
WaterAid Applauds Biden's Emphasis on Climate Adaptation in Development at COP26 

Targeted News Service: (print only) 
Available to read on our website: https://www.wateraid.org/us/media/wateraid-applauds-bidens-emphasis-on-climate-adaptation-in-development-at-cop26 
 
Resilient Water Accelerator aims to bring clean water to 50m by 2030 

Global Capital: https://www.globalcapital.com/article/299nelwyox1duu0wuwhs0/sri/resilient-water-accelerator-aims-to-bring-safe-water-to-50m-by-2030 
 
WaterAid Liberia’s COP engagements: 

Shout Africa: https://www.shout-africa.com/news/during-cop26-women-in-developing-countries-will-miss-out-on-2-5/ 
ELBC Radio: https://elbcradio.com/2021/10/31/csos-presents-climate-message-to-liberias-cop26-delegation/ 

 
Climate reality in Southern Madagascar: no water, no food 

Relief Web: https://reliefweb.int/report/madagascar/climate-reality-southern-madagascar-no-water-no-food 
 

From advocacy to engineering, we cover a lot of ground, but the fundamentals of our work are simple:

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Hygiene is the final piece of the puzzle. Good hygiene helps people stay healthier, it prevents the spread of diseases and allows people to flourish.

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