Groundwater resources assessment under the pressures of humanity and climate changes : GRAPHIC : international symposium on GRAPHIC, April 4-6, 2006, Kyoto, Japan

UNESCO-IHP initiated the project "Groundwater Resources Assessment under the Pressures of Humanity and Climate Change (GRAPHIC)". The project promotes and advances sustainable groundwater management in the face of climate change and linked human effects. GRAPHIC provides a platform for exchange of information through case studies, thematic working groups, scientific research, and communication. In this paper, the vision, aims, structure, theme, and methods of the GRAPHIC are shown. Two case studies in Tokyo and the use of satellite GRACE data are introduced. There are urgent and ongoing needs to address the expected coupled effects of human activities and climate change on global groundwater resources in Africa and many other areas of the globe.