World Rivers Day

Do we want a, a future where everybody in our community knows that someone cares about them? 'Cause they're someone's son, they're someone's child, they're an important part of our community.

So yeah, those kinds of stories can really help highlight things that are swept away and people don't know about, or highlight incredible things like so many things [laughs] in the city happening right now, right? Like, I'm like, there was World Rivers Day, there's, um, the Pasifika Games happening today, and all of those stories that make us who we are.

Actually, have you guys seen that spice, um, the Spice Boys and they-

Yes

All over the world.

Let's add this from DW.com. World Rivers Day.

Why are waterways are drying up? Did they mention geoengineering? The single greatest drought-causing factor on the planet right now? No.

No mention.

area.

At the same time, to mark World Rivers Day, a major new initiative has been launched to empower local communities across Cork to monitor the health of our local streams and it's using a brand new app and the Citizen Science Stream Index.

To break down, we'll talk about that in a minute, but I want to break down what the Asian Hornet capture means for cork and how you at home can get involved in protecting our waterways.

I'm joined on the line by the Minister for State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity.

Environmental organization Arocha Ghana has warned, saying the challenges confronting the Itiwa Forest reflect a broader national concern.

As Ghana joins the global commemoration of World Rivers Day, The organization is calling for stronger protection of the forests, wetlands, streams, and landscapes that feed the country's rivers.

Arusha Ghana is urging stronger legal protection for critical headwater forests, tougher action against illegal mining in river catchments, effective enforcement of environmental laws, and the restoration of degraded forests.

river systems my colleague sarah mensah joins me in the studio with more on the statement released commemorating world rivers day um sarah can you give us the details of the statement here

Okay, so Maxwell, Arucha Ghana argues that rivers cannot be protected only after pollution has reached the water, insisting that critical headwater forests and river catchments must be secured, degraded landscape restored, and destruction activities prevented in environmentally sensitive areas.

As Ghana marks World Rivers Day, the organization is calling on governments and institutions responsible for forest protection water resources, mining and environmental protection to make the protection of critical water sources and headwater ecosystem a national priority.

It is also urging stronger legal protection for critical headwater forests including the designation of Aitua as a national park, tougher actions against illegal mining in river catchments and more effective enforcement and accountability.

Thank you very much, Sarah.