BRAZIL: Sanitation a Reality on Paper Only

The main sanitation plan for the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul is 12 years old, has survived four state governments and carries a price tag of 220 million dollars - but has yet to be implemented.

HEALTH: Talking About a Toilet Revolution

The rhythmic beat at the inaugural conference of the World Toilet Association seemed to roll away cultural taboos surrounding the act of defecation.

Q&A: 'Out-of-the-Box Solutions Needed to Solve World's Sanitation Problems'

Born in a lavatory, South Korean legislator Sim Jae-Duck prefers to be addressed as ‘Mr. Toilet’ and hopes to die in one too. He moved into a home shaped like a giant toilet bowl in time for the launch, in Seoul, of the World Toilet Association (WTA) general assembly from Nov. 21-25.

HEALTH: U.N. Highlights Global Sanitation Disaster

The world's sanitation crisis, caused primarily by the lack of toilet facilities for over 2.6 billion people, is "an insult to humanity", says the Geneva-based Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council.

SOUTH KOREA: At Home in Mr Toilet’s House

Generally relegated to the far and hidden corners of a house, or even outside in rural areas, toilets have never been given the attention they deserve.

SOUTH KOREA: &#39Toilet Training&#39 for Adults Underway

Move over toddlers, adults need to be potty-trained too.

Q&A: “The U.S. Has Its Own Toilet Problem”

Come Nov. 21, the United Nations will formally launch the "Ínternational Year of Sanitation, 2008", with the primary goal of finding ways to provide toilet facilities to some 2.6 billion people worldwide who lack proper sanitation.

ENVIRONMENT: Sanitation Beyond Septic Tanks and Sewers

To meet one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and halve the number of people without basic sanitation by 2015, the world must make a radical shift away from septic tanks and sewers, say experts and activists.

Q&A: "Wetlands Have Had a Pretty Raw Deal, Historically"

Environmental organisations can work with developers to manage wetlands in urban areas, says John Dini: programme manager at Working for Wetlands, a state organisation that tries to ensure the long term viability of wetlands in South Africa.

ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: Toilets Integral to Tribal Development

When Gram Vikas, one of India’s largest non-government organisations (NGOs), began work to uplift rural Adivasi (tribal) communities across this eastern Indian state, it started by building toilets.

DEVELOPMENT-NAMIBIA: Interest in Uranium Powers Desalination Plans

Efforts to build Namibia's first large-scale desalination plant are gaining momentum. The project is a joint undertaking of the Namibian Water Corporation (NamWater), a government owned utility, and mining company UraMin Inc.

DEVELOPMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Power Cuts Lead to Sewage Spills

Sewage plants in South Africa’s northern Gauteng Province poured millions of litres of untreated waste into three rivers between the capital, Pretoria, and the commercial centre of Johannesburg earlier this month. National power utility Eskom cut electricity to the treatment plants, which were then unable to process the waste water before it was released into the rivers.

SOUTH AFRICA: Flush Still Considered Flash When it Comes to Toilets

Waterless or composting toilets are being touted as a promising solution to many of South Africa's sanitation woes.

DEVELOPMENT-SWAZILAND: Water – "Just a Matter of Delivery"?

The main religious ceremony of the Swazi people is the "Incwala" or ‘Festival of the First Fruits’, held in late December. Dressed in traditional attire, tens of thousands of Swazi men and women dance and chant prayers to their ancestors. They seek good rains that will ensure abundant crops.

DEVELOPMENT-INDIA: Sanitation Is About Mobilising Communities

Off the dusty highway that connects the temple town of Madurai to the provincial capital of Chennai, this village strikes the stray visitor with its cleanliness.

ENERGY-SOUTH AFRICA: The Poor Fly Under the Solar Water Heating Radar

Earlier this year, IPS reported that the South African coastal city of Cape Town was debating a "first of a kind" bylaw that would make solar water heating compulsory for relatively costly new buildings, and certain renovations. This got us thinking: what of solar water heating for less expensive structures - especially homes being built under the country's extensive low cost housing programme...Are any initiatives on the drawing board in this regard?

Q&A: "No Cookie-Cutter Solution to Sanitation Crisis"

As the United Nations finalises plans to launch the "International Year of Sanitation 2008" in mid-November, South Korea is leading a global campaign to help resolve one of the world's most neglected health issues.

HEALTH-SWAZILAND: Septic Tanks Preferred to the Latest in Sewage Treatment

Located on the outskirts of Swaziland's commercial hub, the state of the art Manzini Waste Treatment Centre was built to end the city's sewage disposal problems. A World Bank loan was secured by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to construct the 16 million dollar facility: a spotless, landscaped plant which has a lifespan of 25 years.

ENVIRONMENT-PAKISTAN: Pay-Toilets? When the Walls Are Free?

At a pay-and-use toilet at Karachi’s Civil Hospital, Rustom Ali asserts: "I’m an employee here so why should I pay?" Hari Ram, the 60-year-old caretaker, is too meek to argue and lets Ali in. "Very few people pay," Ram mutters.

ENVIRONMENT-PAKISTAN: Residents Solve Own Sanitation Woes

Unlike his neighbours in the opposite lane, Muhammad Salam lets his children play out in the street without the slightest worry.

SOUTH AFRICA: High Stakes Battle Between Mining and Environment

Environmentalists and tour operators appear to be losing the battle against mining companies in Mpumalanga, a province in the east of South Africa. This confrontation - which also pits two ministries against each other - will determine the future of hundreds of lakes and rivers, and has implications for the economic sustainability of the province.