In January 1992, five hundred participants, including government-designated experts from a hundred countries and representatives of eighty international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations attended the International Conference on Water and the Environment (ICWE) in Dublin, Ireland. The experts saw the emerging global water resources picture as critical. At its closing session, the Conference adopted this Dublin Statement and the Conference Report. The problems highlighted are 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 their adoption in June 1992 by world leaders assembled at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, the Dublin Principles have helped form the basis of many international initiatives concerning freshwater management.