Globally, people are becoming increasingly aware of the degradation of the world's water bodies. The need for a holistic assessment of transboundary waters in order to respond to growing public concern and provide advice to governments and decision makers regarding management of aquatic resources has been recognised by several international bodies focusing on global environment. To compile a global overview, the Global International Water Assessment (GIWA) has been implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in conjunction with the University of Kalmar, Sweden (www.giwa.net).