Article: Water and Sustainable Development

Created: Jan 05, 2007
Updated: Jun 06, 2007

Water and Sustainable Development

The water-related goals of sustainable development are: adequate clean drinking water for all citizens, adequate waste disposal systems and the elimination of water-borne diseases, adequate water flow to maintain wetland and other water-dependent ecosystems, water laws that harmonize with our scientific understanding of hydrology (especially groundwater and rainfall variability), and an equitable share of water resources to allow nations that share a water source to supply agriculture and industry. These goals have been severely challenged by population growth, migration to megacities, lack of mutually agreed upon rules for water sharing, the conflict between privatizing water facilities and the inherent "right" to clean water, climate change and increased uncertainty, as well as the costs for water-related infrastructure. Hope can be seen in smaller scale solutions (small dams, proper crop choice), efficiencies (drip irrigation, etc.), recycling, consideration of "externalities" such as environmental and social costs in plans for new water projects, increased sharing of data and hydrological understandings, and a priority focus on affordable, clean water supply for shantytowns.

Tags/Keywords

sustainable development, equitable utilization of water, population growth, megacities, clean water, water efficiency, international water law, water borne disease, wetlands, hydrology, privatization, water recycling, externalities, environmental impacts, social impacts

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Did You Know?

Photo source/Wikipedia

In January 1992, five hundred participants attended the International Conference on Water and the Environment (ICWE) in Dublin, Ireland. At its closing session, the Conference adopted a set of principles concerning water. The problems it highlighted were not speculative in nature; nor are they likely to affect our planet only in the distant future. They are here and they affect humanity now. The future survival of many millions of people demands immediate and effective action. Since its official adoption in June 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, the The Dublin Statement on Water and Sustainable Development, widely known as "the Dublin Principles", have helped form the basis of many international initiatives concerning freshwater management. To read the Principles, click here.

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Water and Sustainable Development

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