Coping with Water Scarcity - World Water Day
by Donna Thomson
The United Nations World Water Day began in 1993 and is celebrated on 22 March each year with an annual theme which, in 2007, is 'Coping with Water Scarcity'. The annual theme is guided by the theme of the International Decade on Water which began on 22 March 2005 and runs until 22 March 2015. The decade's theme is 'Water for Life'.
UN Water is responsible for organising the annual United Nations World Water Day and choosing each year's theme. Coping with water scarcity is considered a timely priority needing strategic action from the UN. The official UN text on this topic states:
"The theme highlights the significance of cooperation and importance of an integrated approach to water resource management of water at international, national and local levels."
The Concerns
Water is necessary for our survival as a species, yet there is increasing shortage of water in both rich and poor countries. Issues such as global warming, diminishing wetlands, and inadequate resource management, are the main causes of increasing water shortages globally. It's also frightening to know that in nearly all the megacities, nearly 40 to 60 percent of water never gets to the consumer due to leaks and poor maintenance of the water system (Asit Biswas, winner of the 2006 Stockholm Water Prize). This is also the case with worldwide agriculture, where inefficient equipment and practices result in water wastage.
According to the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), "by 2025, 1.8 billion people will live in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity." The IWMI also states that most of the Middle East and North Africa are already at absolute water scarcity today and by 2025, these countries will be joined by Pakistan, South Africa, and large parts of India and China. They will not have sufficient water resources to maintain food production levels or "meet reasonable water needs for domestic, industrial, and environmental purposes". This will require the countries to rely on imported food.
A Plan of Action
So what can be done to prevent more water crises around the world? According to the WWF [1], action needs to include repairing ageing infrastructures, reducing agricultural subsidies for water, and conserving our wetlands. For example, if the agricultural sector were to use proven drip-irrigation systems, they would save 30-70 percent of water, while actually increasing their crop yields 20-90 percent - something which will be essential with the ever-increasing population. While drip-irrigation systems have increased 50-fold over the last 20 years, this still only amounts to one percent of the world's irrigated areas. (World Resources Institute)
While these concerns are based on the larger industries and structures involving water use and management in the world, it is still essential to start from the ground level. Your interest in reading this article shows that you care. Becoming more conscious of your own use of water can only help the cause and preserve one of our most precious resources.
Find out what's happening this year at www.worldwaterday.org.