No Freshwater Security Without Major Shift in Thinking

No Freshwater Security Without Major Shift in Thinking Ten-Year Message from the Stockholm Water Symposia T S W S is a leading multi- disciplinary forum for discussion of global, regional, national and local water issues. Each August, many of the world’s top water experts come to the Swedish capital to participate in the Symposium. The Symposium is part of an annual series of future-oriented symposia that link practice, science, policymaking and decision-making in the search for effective, long-term water resources management. The symposia seek a comprehensive under- standing of the complex interactions between human society and globally circulating water resources, striving for harmony between the two and for stable governance systems for management of the world’s water resources. Through the Stockholm Water Initiative, findings from the symposia are brought to the attention of the public, and authorities are targeted with practical recommendations for implementation. Thus, the symposia serve as a catalyst in the search for effective and long-term solutions. The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) administers the Stockholm Water Symposium. Stockholm Water Symposium Scientific Program Committee Prof. Malin Falkenmark, Sweden (Chair) Mr. Ulf Ehlin, Sweden (Vice Chair) Ms. Katarina Andrzejewska, Sweden (Secretary) Mr. Vincent J. Bath, South Africa Prof. Asit K. Biswas, Mexico Dr. Gunilla Brattberg, Sweden Prof. Klas Cederwall, Sweden Prof. Boniface Egboka, Nigeria Ms. Ulla-Britta Fallenius, Sweden Mr. Claus Hagebro, Denmark Mr. Johan Kuylenstierna, Sweden Prof. Jan Lundqvist, Sweden Prof. Saburo Matsui, Japan Prof. Janusz Niemczynowicz, Sweden Prof. Ausaf-ur Rahman, Singapore Prof. Charles A. Sorber, USA Prof. Peter Söderbaum, Sweden No Freshwater Security Without Major Shift in Thinking Ten-Year Message from the Stockholm Water Symposia By Professor Malin Falkenmark in Cooperation with the Stockholm Water Symposium Scientific Program Committee Published 2000 by Stockholm International Water Institute, SIWI Sveavägen 59 113 59 Stockholm Sweden Printed by Arkpressen, Västerås Designed by Quadrata, Stockholm ISBN 91-973359-5-9 ISSN 1404-2134 Foreword 3 he first Stockholm Water Symposium was arranged in as a complement to Tother distinguished world water meetings. Now, as we celebrate a -year jubilee, we have reason to reflect upon years gone by as well as to look forward to coming years. We believe that our holistic approach, featuring integrated water management as its basis, has worked quite well as the framework for the symposia. The urgent need for more activity and cooperation concerning this approach has been confirmed increasingly throughout the s. This need has also been a key reason why so many noted persons and organizations gather in Stockholm each year to participate in both the official program and in the informal meetings and discussions. Each year, the symposium has concluded with a summary and recommendations for further initiatives. The cumulative results of those findings are summarized in this volume. As such, they represent an important contribution to the existing body of world knowledge on water resources management and related issues. In time, it also became clear that these conclusions needed to be followed up with practical activities, an insight that has manifested itself in the symposium-linked, SIWI- administered Stockholm Water Initiative. In this capacity, the symposium thereby functions not only as a yearly meeting point, but also as a think tank where continuity and innovation go hand in hand. Since , when the Global Water Partnership established its yearly presence, the ever-expanding series of events in August have been a part of an arrangement aptly titled the “World Water Week in Stockholm”. This growth is proof of the importance of the activities and their ability to adapt, a reflection of the strong support received continuously from persons, organizations, companies and authorities, and an obligation to continue in the work. Looking back, our thanks go to Professor Malin Falkenmark, of the Natural Science Research Council, and Professor Curt Forsberg, of Uppsala University, two close collaborators who made invaluable contributions to developing the symposium idea. Professor Falkenmark, since chair of the Scientific Program Committee, authored this summary in close cooperation with the committee. It is only appropriate that we dedicate this publication to you, the symposium participants, whose visions during the last decade are so eloquently summarized here. A warm-hearted thanks go to you all, for you are the symposium! Sven-Erik Skogsfors Gunilla Brattberg Stockholm International Stockholm Water Company Water Institute (SIWI) 4 Contents 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 2. Undermining Effects of Current Sectorial Policies.................................................................................. 3. Getting Out of the Water Pollution Trauma............................................................................................ processes of wealth tend to generate pollution – fundamental regional differences – three main pollutant sources to address – seeking a way out – towards a “Prevention Pays Off” principle 4. Groundwater – the Neglected Resource ...................................................................................................... groundwater pollution already widespread – overreliance on natural protection through attenuation – need for qualified knowledge-based management 5. A Land Use Decision is Also a Water Decision ...................................................................................... water mobility calls for integrated approach – vegetation and water partitioning at the ground – water and food security 6. Urban Water Supply and Sanitation – the Never-ending Challenge.......................................... securing safe water for expanding cities – towards dry sanitation – wastewater increasingly seen as a resource – financing urban water supply and sanitation 7. The Young Professionals’ Perspective ............................................................................................................ a critical eye on Stockholm Water Symposia – main scientific gaps from a young scientist perspective – science in need of a social contract 8. Strategic Actions ........................................................................................................................................................ proceeding from rhetorical to real integration – societal ability to cope – water management: increasingly complex – economic profit as the highest business objective is to be questioned – women and water: much lip service, limited implementation – the situation of rural women in developing countries – most essential: long-term vision, leadership and persistence of efforts – Agenda 21 planning – education on all societal levels: main key to the future 9. Major Shift in Thinking Essential.................................................................................................................. where and which are the key buttons to push? – human right to understand the risks one is taking – call for a new mental image based on ecorealism – see catchment as an asset for development – vital need for a true Freshwater Revolution as follow up of the World Water Vision 10. The Way to the Future ...................................................................................................................................... the problem with water is not water but lack of societal stewardship – environmental debt and socio-economic growth – water security, hydrosolidarity and goal conflicts involved Executive Summary 5 1. Neglecting to Protect Water as a Key Resource While the water that moves through a land- scape mirrors the integrated result of a whole set of parallel societal activities, it constitutes at the same time the life-sustain- ing bloodstream of the biosphere. The neglect, through past policy making, of the water cycle implications of human activities is difficult to understand. Pollution is one of the greatest threats to our existence. A fundamental drawback of The past nine Stockholm Water Symposia development is the production of waste that have produced a number of fundamental follows the processes of wealth production. conclusions and clarified that a shift in Worldwide observations indicate that water thinking is fundamental in order to cope quality degradation continues to increase in with escalating global water problems. The both severity and scale. The problems are gap is enormous between where we want here and threaten humanity now. Unless to be in to years and the undesirable coped with in time, water quality degrada- futures towards which present policies tion may turn into a life-and-death issue. appear to be leading. In other words, the Expanding groundwater pollution is especi- present generation of decision-makers is in ally serious since it tends to be irreversible a decisive phase of choosing the future, but as seen on the time scale of human life. A the current water policies are vastly insuffi- contributing reason for groundwater pollu- cient in safeguarding tomorrow’s water tion is an overreliance on the attenuation resources. Their degrees of freedom, howe- capacity of overlying soils. ver, differ widely between different regions due to differences

Load more