EXTRA SERIES THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 26 Statement on Water and the Environment issued by the working group of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences Dichiarazione su Acqua e ambiente approvata dalla Pontificia Accademie delle Scienze a conclusione del gruppo di lavoro 12-14 November 2005 Casina Pio IV Statement p.4 Dichiarazione p. 7 Programme p.10 List of Participants p.13 Participant Biographies p. 15 EM AD I A C S A C I A E I N C T I I F A I R T V N M O P VATICAN CITY 2006 As you can imagine, we will not go into the technical ques- tion, or into the possibilities of its application, which would probably still be premature. But we know that it is a question of a kind of important metabolism, which it is in the interest of mankind to discern, since the shortage of reserves of fresh water threatens to hinder its development. Let us just emphasise, in the more general field of scientif- ic research, two attitudes which, it seems to us, should characterise the scientist, and especially the scientist who is a Christian. On the one hand, he must honestly consider the question of the earthly future of mankind and, as a re- sponsible person, help to prepare it, preserve it, and elimi- nate risks; we think that this solidarity with future genera- tions is a form of charity to which a great many men are sensitive today, in the framework of ecology. But at the same time, the scientist must be animated by the confi- dence that nature has in store secret possibilities which it is up to intelligence to discover and make use of, in order to reach the development which is in the Creator’s plan. This hope in the Author of nature and of the human spirit, rightly understood, is capable of giving new and serene en- ergy to the researcher who is a believer. Paul VI, Address of 19 April 1975 to the participants of the study week on ‘Biological and Artificial Membranes and De- salination of Water’, in Papal Addresses, The Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Scripta Varia 100, Vatican City 2003, p. 208 f. 2 Statement on Water and the Environment Dichiarazione su Acqua e ambiente 3 Water and Statement the Environment This Statement on Water and the Environment was produced by the workshop on the same subject of 12-14 November 2005 which was held at Casina Pio IV. On the basis of a text by Prof. Rodríguez Iturbe with the collaboration of Prof. Hide, and in response to proposals made by President Prof. Cabib- bo, Prof. Chahine, Prof. Crutzen, Prof. Gatto, Prof. Léna, Prof. Ramanathan, and the Bishop-Chancel- lor Sánchez, this document was formally approved by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. scientific workshop on ‘Water and the ment) process which promotes the coordinated Environment’ was held at the Pontifical development and management of water, land A Academy of Sciences on 12-14 Novem- and related resources, in order to maximize the ber 2005. Underlying the programme of the resultant economic and social welfare in an eq- workshop was the basic premise that the sur- uitable manner without compromising the sus- vival of humanity and all species on earth de- tainability of vital ecosystems’ (Global Water pend upon the fate of water. Where water is ab- Partnership, TAC Background Paper, No. 4). sent, life is absent. The common symbol of life Such coordinated development and con- for mankind and all species, valued and respect- comitant decision-making needs firm scientif- ed in all religions and cultures, today water is ic underpinning, in which the science of Hy- symbolic of social equity. drology – with its intimate links with Ecology There are two facets to the question of ‘Wa- and with its geophysical sister sciences, Geo- ter and the Environment’. The first belongs morphology, Geology, Climatology and Meteo- strictly to the natural sciences and centres on rology – has a key role to play. In the words of the understanding of the hydrologic cycle and Hedin et al. (Report to the U.S. National Sci- its interactions with the living and non-living ence Foundation, 2002), ‘this disciplinary con- components of the earth and its atmosphere. vergence will over the next several decades The second facet pertains more to the social sci- transform our understanding of basic process- ences and focuses on the fair distribution of wa- es that control the stability and sustainability ter, considering both quality and quantity as- of natural environmental systems. The ensu- pects, as well as the impact of these issues in ing findings will have extraordinary implica- the economical and spiritual growth of people tions for our abilities to predict and manage around the world. These two facets are inextri- how humans impact the health of ecosystems cably linked, with scientific knowledge provid- across local, regional, and global scales. Such ing a basis for well-informed decisions expect- knowledge is a critical component of a safe, ed from the policymakers involved, decisions sustainable and prosperous future’. that will affect all humanity over many genera- The workshop was organized around recent tions to come. advances in research in five main areas – Bio- The main emphasis of the workshop was on diversity, Global Hydrology, Climate Change, the first of the above-mentioned facets. It dealt Land-Atmosphere Interactions, and River in particular with up-to-date scientific research Basins – with hydrologic dynamics providing bearing on the impact of hydrologic dynamics the unifying theme to the discussions. Particu- on issues concerning sustainable development, lar emphasis was placed on the investigation of in which water resources are of paramount im- feedbacks and interactions between the five ar- portance. Contamination, ill-planned industrial eas, with the goal of identifying some of the development, mega cities, are just a few of main scientific challenges that need to be faced many threats to these vital resources. Some in the immediate future. hope of success in countering these threats is The presentations and discussions of the provided by concepts such as the so-called In- different topics took place in the Casina Pio IV tegrated Resources Management — ‘a (manage- in an environment which could be described 4 Water and the Environment Statement by the eloquent words of Paul VI characteriz- that will stimulate new optimism and involve ing the attitude of a scientist: ‘On the one people in striving towards hydrosolidarity- hand, he must honestly consider the question based balances of interests and activities in of the earthly future of mankind and, as a re- river basins. sponsible person, help to prepare it, preserve The five general themes of the workshop it, and eliminate risks; we think that this soli- presented a challenging perspective of the sci- darity with future generations is a form of entific aspects of some of the most crucial ar- charity to which a great many men are sensi- eas related to water and the environment. Thus, tive today, in the framework of ecology. But at in Biodiversity and Hydrologic Dynamics, the the same time, the scientist must be animated extremely important role of water was made by the confidence that nature has in store se- clear in the preservation of biodiversity and in cret possibilities which it is up to intelligence the temporal and spatial patterns that biodiver- to discover and make use of, in order to reach sity exhibits. The main causes of accelerating the development which is in the Creator’s plan. extinction rates are habitat destruction and This hope in the Author of nature and the hu- degradation, the introduction of exotic species, man spirit, rightly understood, is capable of pollution, overexploitation and global climate giving new and serene energy to the researcher change. In all key aspects of biodiversity, hydro- who is a believer’ (Paul VI, Papal Addresses, logic dynamics play a crucial role and it was The Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Scripta clearly shown that natural or human-caused Varia 100, Vatican City 2003, p. 208 f.). fluctuations of the water cycle are fundamental In order to keep the overall perspective and drivers of the vegetation dynamics. The differ- deal with the range of implications of the sci- ent characteristics of the interaction between entific topics, the workshop was opened and vegetation and climate were discussed in-depth closed with two presentations providing a link for both savannah and river basin ecosystems. between the science aspects and the social im- In the case of savannas, the dynamic grass cov- pacts of the themes under study. These presen- er enhances the degree to which the savannah tations were entitled The Fair Distribution of vegetation is optimal with respect to its use of Water and Heading Towards Basin-level Hy- the stochastic water input. In the case of river drosolidarity: Goal for Land/Water/Ecosystem basins the deep coherence was made apparent Coordination. Thus the workshop opened with between the geomorphological organization of a strong message that access to sufficient and the watershed and the vegetation patterns that healthy water is a human right which has to exist around the river network. be taken into consideration by governments In the session on Global Hydrology and without discriminations of any kind. It is es- Hydrologic Dynamics, special emphasis was sential to consider the fair distribution of wa- made on the fact that impacts of climate ter when applying concepts like ‘sustainable change will be felt most strongly through development’, ‘globalization’ and ‘food securi- changes in surface hydrology (e.g., changes in ty’. All these need to be discussed considering the frequencies of floods and droughts), which the challenges and obstacles of geographical, affect ecosystems and agriculture, as well as social, cultural and political character that im- the water available for direct human use.