Water resources are essential for satisfying basic human needs, health and food production,
and
the preservation of ecosystems, as well as for economic and social development in general. It is a
matter of urgent concern that more than one fifth of all people still do not have access to safe
drinking water and more than one half of humanity lacks adequate sanitation. From the perspective
of developing countries, freshwater is a priority and a basic need, especially taking into account
that in many developing countries freshwater is not readily available for all segments of the
population, inter alia, owing to lack of adequate infrastructure and capacity, water scarcity, and
technical and financial constraints. Moreover, freshwater is also crucial for developing countries to
satisfy the basic needs of their population in the areas of agricultural irrigation, industrial
development, hydroelectric generation, and so forth. In view of the growing demands on water,
which is a finite resource, water will become a major limiting factor in socio-economic development
unless early action is taken. There is growing concern at the increasing stress on water supplies
caused by unsustainable use patterns, affecting both water quality and quantity, and the
widespread lack of access to safe water supply and suitable sanitation in many developing
countries. Because the commitments of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation
Decade of the 1980s have not been fully met, there is still a need to ensure the optimal use and
protection of all freshwater resources, so that the needs, including the availability of safe drinking
water and sanitation, of everyone on this planet can be met. This calls for the highest priority to
be
given to the serious freshwater problems facing many regions, especially in the developing world.
There is an urgent need to:
(a) Assign high
priority, in accordance with specific national needs and conditions, to the
formulation and implementation of policies and programmes for integrated watershed
management, including issues related to pollution and waste, the interrelationship between
water and land, including mountains, forests, upstream and downstream users, estuar-ine
environments, biodiversity and the preservation of aquatic ecosystems, wetlands, climate
and land degradation and desertification, recognizing that subnational, national and regional
approaches to freshwater protection and consumption following a watershed basin or river
basin approach offer a useful model for the protection of freshwater supplies;
(b) Strengthen regional
and international cooperation for technological transfer and the
financing of integrated water resources programmes and projects, in particular those
designed to increase access to safe water supply and sanitation;
(c) Ensure the continued
participation of local communities, and women in particular, in the
management of water resources development and use;
(d) Provide an enabling
national and international environment that encourages investments
from public and private sources to improve water supply and sanitation services, especially
in fast- growing urban and peri-urban areas, as well as in poor rural communities in
developing countries. Adopt and implement commitments by the international community to
support the efforts to assist developing countries achieve access to safe drinking water and
sanitation for all;
(e) Recognize water
as a social and economic good with a vital role in the satisfaction of
basic human needs, food security, poverty alleviation and the protection of ecosystems.
Economic valuation of water should be seen within the context of its social and economic
implications, reflecting the importance of meeting basic needs. Consideration should be
given to the gradual implementation of pricing policies that are geared towards cost recovery
and the equitable and efficient allocation of water, including the promotion of water
conservation, in developed countries; such policies could also be considered in developing
countries when they reach an appropriate stage in their development, so as to promote the
harmonious management and development of scarce water resources and generate financial
resources for investment in new water supply and treatment facilities. Such strategies
should also include programmes assigned to minimize wasteful consumption of water;
(f) Strengthen the
capability of Governments and international institutions to collect and
manage information, including scientific, social and environmental
data, in
order to facilitate the integrated assessment and management of
water resources, and foster regional and international
cooperation for information dissemination and exchange through
cooperative approaches among United Nations institutions,
including UNEP, and centres for environmental excellence. In this
regard, technical assistance to developing countries will
continue to be important;
(g)
Give support by the international community to the efforts
and limited resources of developing countries to shift to higher-
value, less water- intensive modes of agricultural and industrial
production and to develop the educational and informational
infrastructure necessary to improve the skills of the labour
force required for the economic transformation that needs to take
place if use of freshwater resources is to be sustainable.
International support for the integrated development of water
resources in developing countries, appropriate innovative
initiatives and approaches at the bilateral and regional levels
are also required;
(h)
Encourage watercourse States to develop international
watercourses with a view to attaining sustainable utilization and
appropriate protection thereof and benefits therefrom, taking
into account the interests of the watercourse States concerned.
Considering the urgent need for action in the field
of freshwater, and
building on existing principles and instruments, arrangements,
programmes of action and customary uses of water, Governments call for
a dialogue under the aegis of the Commission on Sustainable
Development, beginning at its sixth session, aimed at building a
consensus on the necessary actions, and in particular, on the means of
implementation and on tangible results, in order to consider initiating
a strategic approach for the implementation of all aspects of the
sustainable use of freshwater for social and economic purposes,
including, inter alia, safe drinking water and sanitation, water for
irrigation, recycling, and wastewater management, and the important
role freshwater plays in natural ecosystems. This intergovernmental
process will be fully fruitful only if there is a proved commitment by
the international community for the provision of new and additional
financial resources for the goals of this initiative.
