Water Ethics and Water Resource Management Ethics and Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific (ECCAP) Project
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UNESCO Bangkok Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific Water Ethics and Water Resource Management Ethics and Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific (ECCAP) Project Working Group 14 Report Water Ethics and Water Resource Management Jie Liu Amarbayasgalan Dorjderem Jinhua Fu Xiaohui Lei Huajie Liu Darryl Macer Qingju Qiao Amy Sun Keisuke Tachiyama Lilin Yu Yi Zheng Published by UNESCO Bangkok Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Klongtoey Bangkok 10110, Thailand © UNESCO 2011 All rights reserved ISBN 978-92-9223-358-7(Print version) ISBN 978-92-9223-359-4 (Electronic version) The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Edited by Darryl R.J. Macer Design/Layout by Alessandra Blasi (cover), Darryl Macer, Raine Boonlong and Sirisak Chaiyasook (content) Cover photo by © UNESCO/S. Chaiyasook Printed in Thailand SHS/11/OS/003-1000 CONTENTS Preface ...........................................................................................................................................................................................v Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1. Water and Life ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Basics of Water ......................................................................................................................................................................................2 1.2 Uses of Water ........................................................................................................................................................................................4 1.3 Water for Energy Production ......................................................................................................................................................7 1.4 Water Resources, Availability and Stress ..............................................................................................................................9 1.5 Water and Conflict ..........................................................................................................................................................................11 1.6 Water, Culture and Religion ......................................................................................................................................................14 2. Water Ethics.......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 2.1 Roles of Water Ethics .....................................................................................................................................................................16 2.2 Frameworks for Water Ethics ...................................................................................................................................................16 2.3 Principle of Human Dignity and the Right to Water ..................................................................................................18 2.4 The Principle of Equity in Availability and Applicability of Water: The Right to Water ........................18 2.5 Ecosystem Requirements and a Healthy Environment ...........................................................................................19 2.6 Principle of Vicinity .........................................................................................................................................................................20 2.7 Principle of Frugality ......................................................................................................................................................................20 2.8 Principle of Transaction................................................................................................................................................................20 2.9 Principle of Multiple and Beneficial Use of Water ......................................................................................................21 2.10 Principle of Mandatory Application of Quantity and Quality Measures .......................................................21 2.11 Principle of Compensation and User Pays .......................................................................................................................22 2.12 Principle of Polluter Pays ............................................................................................................................................................22 2.13 Principle of Participation .............................................................................................................................................................22 2.14 Principle of Equitable and Reasonable Utilization ......................................................................................................22 2.15 Future Reflections on Water Ethics ......................................................................................................................................23 3. Problems in Current Water Management – The Need for Water Ethics ..........................................................24 3.1 Overview ..............................................................................................................................................................................................24 3.2 Pollution ................................................................................................................................................................................................25 3.3 Water Governance ..........................................................................................................................................................................27 3.4 Access Rights to Water in Practice .......................................................................................................................................31 4. Policy Options and Construction of Practical Water Ethics.................................................................................33 4.1 Lifestyle Change and Motivation .........................................................................................................................................33 4.2 Valuing Water ....................................................................................................................................................................................33 4.3 An Overlaping Kind of Water Ownership ........................................................................................................................34 4.4 Ensuring Water Quality ...............................................................................................................................................................36 4.5 Policies to Overcome Water Scarcity ...................................................................................................................................36 4.6 Modeling Method – A Useful Decision Support Tool ...............................................................................................37 4.7 The Roles of Experts, Stakeholders and Decision Makers ......................................................................................37 4.8 Education .............................................................................................................................................................................................38 4.9 Balancing International Governance with National Sovereignty ......................................................................41 5. Conclusions ..........................................................................................................................................................................42 CONTENTS 6. Case Studies .........................................................................................................................................................................43 Case Study 1: The Need for a More Efficient Aquaculture Industry ............................................................................43 Case Study 2: Computer-Aided, Community-Based Water Planning: Gila-San Francisco Decision Support Tool .................................................................................................................................................................. 51 Case Study 3: The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China .........................................................................57 Case Study 4: Review on Chinese Water Ethics .......................................................................................................................68