University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
New research offers solutions to improve drinking water access in developing countries
In 2020, 771 million people worldwide still lacked access to clean drinking water, according to UNICEF and the World Health Organization. For this reason, many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) prioritize building new water projects, including handpumps and small piped systems, to bring clean water to rural areas of developing countries. New research from Alfonso Pedraza-Martinez, the Greg […]
With land grabs comes competition for water, and local farmers are likely to lose
Water from Ethiopia's Omo River, which flows for 472 miles along the country's southwest side, has helped sustain the livelihood of tribal populations for hundreds of years. Human rights organizations have estimated 200,000 people from various tribes in the region rely on the Omo's water for cattle and to grow crops like sorghum and maize. […]
New material shown to more efficiently desalinate water
By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population could experience a freshwater shortage. To tackle this issue, researchers from the University of Notre Dame have identified a new solvent – an ionic liquid – that improves on emerging desalination technology, directional solvent extraction. Directional solvent extraction uses a solvent to extract freshwater from a saline source […]
Annual country index with new food dependency data reflects vulnerability to climate change
In the annual update of the University of Notre Dame’s Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Country Index data sources for some vulnerability indicators have changed, including food dependency and urban concentration. The new food dependency indicator, as part of the food score, incorporates more information regarding a country’s external dependence on a broader range of foods that are imported, beyond […]
Researchers study the intricate link between climate and conflict
New research from the University of Notre Dame is shedding light on the unexpected effects climate change could have on regional instability and violent conflict. Previous studies have linked drought to instances of intense conflict. As climate change is expected to bring hotter, dryer conditions to certain regions around the world, with it has come […]