This publication, prepared by the United Nations University and the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development, focuses on one of the themes from the World Water Forum held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 17-18 March 2009: it aims to contribute to the understanding of rural to rural, rural to urban and cross-border migration in the face of water scarcity.

The current issue of the UGEC Viewpoints was conceptualized at the end of the 7th Open Meeting of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change which was held in Bonn, Germany between April 26-30.

Decision to Migrate is mostly a choice - except in compelling

The South Asia Environment Outlook 2009 covers the state and trends of the environment (land, air, water, biodiversity) and five key issues - Climate Change, Food Security, Water Security,

Migration, both within and beyond borders, has become an increasingly prominent theme in domestic and international debates, and is the topic of the 2009 Human Development Report (HDR09). The starting point is that the global distribution of capabilities is extraordinarily unequal, and that this is a major driver for movement of people.

The Himalayas are a unique natural asset and the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) forms the major share of this. This report presents a set of guidelines and best practices for the governance and sustainable management of the Himalayan ecosystem.