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Biodiversity: Natural Solutions for Water Security, No.3, May 2013

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Biodiversity: Natural Solutions for Water Security, No.3, May 2013 CBD - GET READY FOR 2015 N°3 - MAY 2013 Biodiversity: Natural solutions for water security UNEP Water and sustainable development Water is pivotal to sustainable de- Water is being given greater attention FAST FACTS velopment. It underpins most eco- in the discussions on post-2015. De- nomic activity and also food, energy, velopment Agenda However, these industry and human health. Access discussions often focus on outcomes, to drinking water and sanitation are with limited consideration given to GLOBAL THREATS already enshrined in the MDGs. But ways of achieving them. Ecosystem The World Economic Forum ranks both the supply and quality of water services offer solutions for sustain- water supply crises as the highest glo- are becoming increasingly inse- able water resources management bal risk for 2013, after major financial for all uses. and achieving water security for all. failure. cure Ecosystems function as a “natural The Rio+20 outcome document SOCIOECONOMIC CONTEXT water infrastructure”. Forests pro- (“The Future We Want”) highlighted 884 million people (12.5% of global tect water supplies, wetlands regu- the importance of water to the sus- population) live without safe drinking late floods, healthy soils increase wa- tainable development agenda. It water and 2.5 billion people (40%) ter and nutrient availability for crops also in paragraph 122, made an im- lack adequate sanitation. By current portant leap in understanding: “We trends, 1.8 billion people will, by 2025, and help reduce off-farm impacts, be living with absolute water scarcity and natural and man-made wetlands recognize the key role that ecosys- and two-thirds of the world population and buffer strips can be effective in tems play in maintaining water quan- could be under water stress condi- managing nutrient run-off and pollu- tity and quality and support actions tions. tion. within respective national boundaries to protect and sustainably manage WATER AND DISASTERS Degradation of natural infrastructure these ecosystems.” This represents Over 7,000 major disasters since 1970 is often the root cause of disasters the required paradigm shift from con- have caused US$2 trillion in damages and/or contributes to the scale of sidering the impacts of water on eco- and killed about 2.5 million people. impacts. Conserving or restoring it systems to viewing ecosystems as Water-related hazards account for often provides cheaper and more an asset, or tool, to help us achieve 90% of all natural hazards. In 2010 sustainable solutions. It also delivers sustainable water-related outcomes alone, natural disasters killed more substantial co-benefits such as tour- for all people. than 296,800 people, affected nearly ism, recreation and biodiversity con- 208 million others and cost some servation. Because of the tangible nature of US$110 billion. water issues, and urgency for solu- Approximately one trillion dollars per tions, the subject presents one of the CLIMATE CHANGE year is presently spent on built wa- strongest links between biodiversity Climate change impacts are delivered ter infrastructure. Natural infrastruc- and sustainable development. primarily via changes in water resourc- ture can often replace or increase es. Adaptation is mainly about better the sustainability and efficiency of water management. built infrastructure. more information: www.cbd.int/idb/2013/booklet [email protected] CBD - GET READY FOR 2015 N°3 - MAY 2013 STRATEGIC PLAN FOR BIODIVERSITY 2011-2020 TARGET 14 By 2020, ecosystems that provide essential services, including services related to water, and contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being, are restored and safeguarded, taking into account the needs of women, indig- enous and local communities, and the poor and vulnerable. The Strategic Plan notes that the para- mount importance of water should be highlighted in the technical rationale of Target 14. photo: Fairuz Othman/flickr Water is also cross-cutting and there- fore underpins all of the other targets. Achieving sustainable water security building for, ecosystem based solu- tions for water resources manage- ment as a means to enhance the At the CBD’s COP 10 Parties noted urged due consideration be given to implementation of the Strategic Plan that water provisioning, regulation the water cycle, as a cross-cutting for Biodiversity 2011 – 2020 by the and purification are critically impor- theme, when implementing the Stra- broadest range of stakeholders, as a tant services provided by ecosys- tegic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. contribution to sustainable develop- tems, underpinned by biodiversity, ment and to the 2013 United Nations and, essential to sustainable devel- The Secretariat is currently develop- opment and the continued function- ing a cooperative partnership to pro- International Year of Water Coop- . ing of terrestrial, inland water and mote awareness of, and capacity eration coastal ecosystems. They also help reduce vulnerability to water-related natural disasters such as flooding and drought, both of which are ex- pected to increase in frequency with current global changes. Attention to water was incorporated into the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in order to reinforce its contribution to sus- tainable development. An expert group on the ability of bio- diversity to continue to sustain the water cycle was convened in 2011. The group reported to CBD COP 11, where Parties recognized the impor- tance of the water cycle, including its groundwater component, and the influence that climate change exerts upon it, to most areas of work of the Convention and to achieving most of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. It Rob McInnes.
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