Grassroots September 2016, Vol. 16, No. 3

Article specific conditions (such as high precipitation or warm temperatures), as well as their joint or sequential occurrence (such as high precipitation followed by low winds and high temperatures). This could be explored, for example, in the context of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), and effort to compare climate projections under different scenarios that is under way in anticipation pation of the next Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change assessment. A clear conceptual model would also inform observational needs. Observations must capture the severity of extreme events, their impacts and key variables for assessing the links to climate change. There will be trade-offs offs between specificity and coverage. For example, whereas satellites might monitor some water-quality quality parameters and impacts globally, other key indicators such as toxin concentrations can be tracked only in situ. Th The GEO (Group on Earth Observations) AquaWatch initiative would be a natural forum for exploring these challenges10. As the science improves, its implications must inform broader global discussions around water, such as the strategy for meeting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring 'availability and sustainable management of water Grassroots and sanitation for all', one of 17 such goals adopted last year. The scientific community has made remarkable progress in understanding the role of climate in the occurrence and intensity of droughts, storms and other extreme events relating to water quantity. It is time for a similar examination of extremes in water quality. SOURCE: www.nature.com LINK: http://www.nature.com/news/study-role-ofhttp://www.nature.com/news/study climate-change-in-extreme-threats threats-to-waterquality-1.20267 Figure 1: An algal bloom in Stuart, Florida, in June led to a state of emergency. September 2016 Vol 16 No. 3

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