Kyoto: Ecosystems for water, water for people
Bern, 22.03.2003 - To ensure a sustainable world water supply, a priority must be given to the protection of forests, soils and wetlands which capture, filter, store and release water of high quality. This new approach in water policy, proposed by Switzerland, has been adopted saturday, march 23, at the Word Water Forum at one of the ministerial sessions chaired by the State Secretary, Philippe Roch, Director-General of the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape. It will be presented at the plenary session of the Ministerial Conference on Sunday.
At the end of a very lively roundtable, the representatives of countries and international organisations agreed on the necessity to integrate in every project on water management a component on the ecosystem protection. In parallel to these efforts to improve access to water for populations, focus should now be given on the origins of water cycle, i.e. ecosystems that naturally produce water of high quality. It is time to invest in the maintenance and the restoration of these ecosystems. We have to value water and the services from the ecosystems, declared Dr Klaus Töpfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
The report of the Chair Philippe Roch also emphasized the importance to collect data on ecosystems in all the regions of the world and ensure a follow-up monitoring as well the necessity to integrate local populations. Mr Roch will present it on Sunday at the plenary which will resume the World Water Forum.
"Water for People, Water for Life"
That is the title of the first World Water Development Report, which has been released by the United Nations at the World Water Day 2003. The global water crisis hits mainly the poor in developing and transition countries. More than 2 billion people are affected by water shortages, more than 1 billion have no access to clean drinking water and more than 2.4 billion have no provision for sanitation. The Swiss Delegation welcomes the report as an important source of data and information for a better use of the natural resource water and as a first step in the monitoring process of success in the combat against the global water crisis.
Compared to the second World Water Forum 2000 in Den Haag a considerably higher priority was given to the issue of hunger and food security. Therefore a subgroup on "Water for Food and Rural Development" set up in the Ministerial Conference. SDC underlines the urgency to reform the water sector related to the agricultural production for an efficient and equitable use of the limited water resources. The target is an increase of the agricultural productivity for enhancing the quality of rural livelihood in developing countries.
Today 777 million people currently suffer from hunger while 70% of the global water consumption is used for irrigation. According to FAO the water consumption for irrigation purposes will increase in the next 30 years: The water crisis is also a food crisis. To promote food security for all, SDC supports research in agriculture, the use of efficient methods and technologies in agricultural production in developing countries.
Address for enquiries
Information
On ecosystem approach:
Mr Philippe Roch, State Secretary
Director-General of the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape
0081 90 6926 2801
On the issue of Water and Food:
Ms Dora Rapold
Vice Director of the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development
0081 90 2159 9849
Documents
Links
Publisher
Federal Office for the Environment FOEN
https://www.bafu.admin.ch/en
