Research Report – Topic 2
1 Guidelines
2 Introduction
3 Background
4 Measures
5 Developments
6 Problems/ Controversial Aspects
7 UN Departments
8 Terms
9 Works cited and further reading
10 Appendix

 1 Guidelines
Over 70% of our Earth's surface is covered by water. Although water is seemingly abundant, the real issue is the amount of fresh water available.
 97.5% of all water on Earth is salt water, leaving only 2.5% as fresh water
 Nearly 70% of that fresh water is frozen in the icecaps of Antarctica and Greenland; most of the remainder is present as soil moisture, or lies in deep underground aquifers as groundwater not accessible to human use.
 < 1% of the world's fresh water is accessible for direct human uses. This is the water found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and those underground sources that are shallow enough to be tapped at an affordable cost. Only this amount is regularly renewed by rain and snowfall, and is therefore available on a sustainable basis.
Today, principal demands for fresh water are for irrigation, household and municipal water use, and industrial uses.
Figure 1: The water usage of different regions of the world per capita in cubic meters.
By 2025 more than half the nations in the world will face freshwater stress or shortages and by 2050 as much as 75 percent of the world's population could face freshwater scarcity. This happened because

while the need for freshwater is increasing rapidly, the world’s population is growing. The United Nations estimates that the world’s population will grow to 9.4 billion by 2050.
Sources: http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/freshwater_supply/fre shwater.html
 2 Introduction
Water, our most valuable resource, has been misused and poorly managed for quite some time, resulting in shortages across the globe. The worlds population has doubled in the past sixty years, jumping from three billion in 1950 to about six billion today. Global water usage, however, is three times higher than it was in 1950, and about two billion people live in areas with significant water shortages today. Agricultural activities use the majority of the world’s fresh water supply. This industry definitely needs to have an adequate supply of water, but much of the fresh water used for irrigating crops is wasted, and better conservation procedures need to be implemented.
The basic source of water is rainfall, which collects in rivers and lakes, under the ground, and in artificial reservoirs. Water from under the ground is called groundwater and is tapped by means of wells.
Most often water must be raised from a well by pumping. In some cases a well will draw water from a permeable rock layer called an aquifer in which the water is under pressure; such a well needs little or no pumping (see artesian well). Water that collects in rivers, lakes, or reservoirs is called surface water.
Most large water supply systems draw surface water through special intake pipes or tunnels and transport it to the area of use through canals, tunnels, or pipelines, which are known as mains or aqueducts. These feed a system of smaller conduits or pipes that take the water to its place of use.
Sources: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/saving-the-worlds-water-supply-
925177.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/water-supply
 3 Background
Message from H.E. MR. HARRI HOLKERI President of the General Assembly
Water and health are two very basic needs for every individual - water is one of the most important global resources, and health is probably the most precious resource for an individual. I should like to applaud the World Health Organization (WHO) for the very timely theme of this year's water day: "Water for Health". As we prepare for the International Year of Freshwater in 2003 we must create greater awareness of the significance of protecting our fresh water resources. Their preservation, conservation and protection need more attention. Greater awareness of the need for water conservation must be encouraged. In the current international situation, where fresh water resources are scarce and at the point of being depleted, there is a possibility of conflicts arising because of shared water resources.
Contaminated water is a direct health risk. Water-related diseases are many, including Trachoma,

which is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness, and the under-reported Leptospirosis, occurring especially after natural disasters. The mosquito-borne infection Dengue has become a major international public health concern in recent years, affecting especially tropical and sub-tropical urban areas in more than 100 countries worldwide. Furthermore, Schistosomiasis is the second most important parasitic infection after malaria. The impact of these illnesses on public health and the economy are enormous. According to the Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000, carried out by WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), 2.4 billion people still lack sanitation, while 1.1 billion persons are lacking improved water supply. In addition to having devastating effects on public health, water scarcity can create also severe limitations to economic development.
Water-related socio-economic problems are a constant threat to the well-being of the global population, and they should be addressed efficiently and with determination. On the other hand, we all can do our share - conserve water and use it sparingly.
The World Day of Water on 22nd March serves well to remind us all that solutions are possible, but we must first show that we understand what is at stake - water and health. http://wwwupdate.un.org/ga/president/55/speech/environmentday.htm
Dr Pita Sharples - Iwi Māori National Summit on Freshwater Management
That forum has then gone on and struck up a dialogue with a core group of Ministers on how to best proceed in the complex process of addressing Māori concerns, interests and rights relating to freshwater.
Concerns, interests and rights which will be pivotal to the debate in this National Iwi Leaders Summit on
Freshwater management; and which are at the heart of our wellbeing. Water at the heart of our wellbeing.
Water is healthy, land and people are nourished.
This is a truth which speaks across the universe, reflecting that the health of life on and within
Papatuanuku is directly related to the wellbeing of our waters.
Eight years ago, the Indigenous Declaration on Water signed in British Columbia issued a brave call to action, and I quote: As Indigenous Peoples, we raise our voices in solidarity to speak for the protection of
Water. The Creator placed us on this earth, each in our own sacred and traditional lands, to care for all of creation. We stand united to follow and implement our knowledge, laws and self-determination to preserve Water, to preserve life. […]
Just as with Maori, the rivers and streams are the lifeblood of the people, the essence of life. The health of our waterways is intrinsically linked to the sacredness of the water, the mauri, the wairua, the spirit of its lifeforce. And so it is that as with other indigenous peoples we feel an obligation to those who have gone before us and those that will follow, to take due care of the rights, interests and responsibilities we share, collectively in water.[…] http://www.maoriparty.org/index.php?pag=nw&id=792&p=speech-dr-pita-sharples-iwi-m257orinational-summit-on-freshwater-management8207.html
UNECE Regional Implementation Forum on Sustainable Development, Geneva 15 - 16 June
2004
Statement on behalf of the Chairman of SAO
[…] Turning to water, a substantial portion of the world’s freshwater is found in the glaciers and ice caps of the Arctic region. Nearly ten percent of this reservoir is contained in the Greenland ice cap alone. Four major Arctic rivers drain large regions of the Russian Federation (the Yenesei, Ob, and Lena Rivers) and
Canada (the Mackenzie River) and provide nearly 10 percent of all river discharge into all the oceans of the world.
With your permission I would like to mention some examples of the linkage between freshwater ecosystems in the Arctic and sustainable development in the region.
Sustainable energy production, for example, and harnessing of geothermal energy is an important aspect of freshwater utilisation, which can help alleviate poverty and raise general standards of living.
Freshwater resources are also being used for eco-tourism, another example of sustainable use.
Freshwater ecosystems in the Arctic support an array of flora and fauna. The sustainable use of freshwater resources is a major feature of communities in the Arctic, whether the use be subsistence fishing, sport fishing or commercial fishing. As access to medical services is in many instances difficult, good water quality remains of the utmost importance to residents in the Arctic.
The relationship between freshwater and marine ecosystems is a close one, particularly as it relates to pollution. Improving the quality of freshwater and freshwater environments will profoundly improve the

coastal and marine environments that so many people depend on directly for food, income and social and cultural identity.
The predicted warming in the Arctic will release water from the soil were it is typically gripped in the permafrost. Climate variability and change will indeed affect the whole hydrological system. It affects glaciers, snow cover and vegetation and, in turn, these elements affect the climate change. This development could drastically affect the living conditions of the people in the Arctic and elsewhere and will influence many economic sectors, such as the energy sector. It is not too early, therefore, that we begin to prepare ourselves to respond with new strategies on different levels.
A better understanding of the effects of climate change and global water cycles in the Arctic is vital not only for the people of this region, but for the rest of the world as well.
As to sanitation issues, we all realize that water management and sanitation-related issues are closely related to human health. In turn, human health is critical to sustainable development.[…] http://www.mfa.is/speeches-and-articles/nr/2104
Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
[…] So water is also a key to social equity.
It is also a key to environmental stability. If we are not aware of the importance of water in nature, we will have a lot of economic problems. We are here on the Rhine. The world is, every year, having a population growth of some 75 million to 80 million people. The normal size of this river carries something like the quantity of water you need to serve that number of people. That is a lot of water. http://www.water-2001.de/days/speech3.asp
Vandana Shiva
With things like water, water is interconnected. Surface water is connected intimately with the ground water. You can’t separate the two. Your river flows are connected with wells. Your mountain watershed is connected with the waters it receives. And not seeing that interconnectedness of water is what has lead to the privatization.
Communities have always recognized two things. First, that which we need for survival should never belong to an individual. It should be the common wealth. Second, it should be managed as the common wealth. Therefore, community structures of responsibilities have to be put in place.
The rights are derived from collective responsibility. They are secondary. Primary is the collective responsibility.
If you do not build that storage tank to harvest your monsoons in low-rainfall areas you are never going to have water. And you can’t build a tank alone. You have to join collectively. Once you harvest it together, then the only way to make that tank serve you is to have a common regime of what will be grown.
If one individual grows sugar cane and drains that tank dry that is the typical tragedy of the commons that Garret Hardin ( The Tragedy of the Commons by Garret Hardin – 1968 Science ) talks about. But that is not typical of the commons. That is typical of the destruction of the commons
The tragedy is that Western individualized, atomized societies and their academics have imposed on the rest of the world this very false idea that commons by their very nature must degrade. But it is privatized property by its very nature that must ecologically degrade because it is not being managed for ecological maintenance. It is being managed for highest returns.
Common property is what has allowed tanks built in India four thousand years ago to still supply water to people. http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/global/vshiva3.html
 4 Measures
To prevent the gradually loss of freshwater in our world we have to begin from the families. They have to try not to waste water during their simple daily actions (washing the hands, taking a shower, cooking..).
Another important point is to avoid the pollution of water . This happen near factories or big cities. We need an agreement among industries and governments with some solution to reduce the water pollution.
Last but not least we have the ices melting caused by the air pollution. To solve this problem there have been a lot of conference and agreements among the Worlds Nations. An example of agreement is the

Kyoto protocol ( http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php
) which establishes measures to decrease in national pollution and to give some limits to the Nation who had signed.
 5 Developments
Canada's provincial governments are actively promoting various water conservation programs aimed at raising public awareness of conservation and pollution prevention issues. In 1999,
British Columbia developed a province-wide water conservation strategy. Under a Canada-
Newfoundland Agreement Respecting Water Resource Management, the province prepared several brochures and guidelines to increase public awareness.
EC, in partnership with the CWWA, has also developed an Internet-based water efficiency experiences database which is searchable and includes details of water efficiency activities from all sectors including governments, municipalities and the private sector. The department also produces a wealth of water awareness resources and tools including fact sheets, an Internet site, speaker’s kit and a display to assist in promoting water efficiency messages in communities . The Government of Canada is currently implementing several key initiatives that will improve knowledge and information about water. Provincial and territorial governments are also pursuing several activities.
Statistics Canada is in the process of creating an expanded set of national accounts to serve as the basis for sustainable development analysis. This system will incorporate improved data on natural, human and social capital, including for water .[...]
( http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/canada/canada_freshwater.pdf
)
 6 Problems/ Controversial Aspects
The main problem that represents an hindrance to the solution of this issue is the economic problem.
Industries pollute rivers and lakes reducing the drinkable water for the human population. Some industrial facilities generate ordinary domestic sewage that can be treated by municipal facilities.
Industries that generate wastewater with high concentrations of conventional pollutants (e.g. oil and grease), toxic pollutants (e.g. heavy metals, volatile organic compounds) or other nonconventional pollutants such as ammonia, need specialized treatment systems.
Some of these facilities can install a pre-treatment system to remove the toxic components, and then send the partially-treated wastewater to the municipal system. Industries generating large volumes of wastewater typically operate their own complete on-site treatment systems.
There’s also the air pollution that cause the melting of glaciers. This is an important cause because when many countries had met in Kyoto to reach an agreement on the pollution the most pollutant countries didn’t sign (USA, China). After the Kyoto protocol there have been others meetings on the question but didn’t succeeded.
Another important issue is the attempt made by big companies to commercialize the transportation of fresh water. This is a serious problem because nearly 2/3 of the global population can’t afford buying water which is necessary to survive.
The question is: “Is water a human right or only a human need?”
 7 UN Departments
- UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)
- UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
 8 Terms
UNEP: It is an organisation created to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
 9 Works cited and further reading http://www.un.org/en/

http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/freshwater_supply/fre shwater.html