| Water & Development |
| This special Development Gateway report on "Water & Development"
is an effort to broaden awareness about the Earth’s water crisis. By looking at
water as a development issue across nine topic pages and AiDA, we give an
in-depth look into aspects of water and its management in the developing world.
Coinciding with the 3rd World
Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan, March 16-23, and with World Water Day on March
22, "Water & Development" offers Internet resources that show how
international organizations are approaching the water crisis, background on what
projects are currently under way, and practical case studies about innovative
solutions to water management. |
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| Challenges & Solutions to the World Water
Crisis |
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| Photo courtesy of The Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands | Water lies at the heart of survival for Earth
and for its inhabitants. Shifting climate patterns caused by global warming,
industrial and human pollution of rivers and streams, and the rapid growth of
sprawling cities have contributed to what is now recognized as a crisis in the
world's supply of fresh water. The cycle of poverty in the developing world is
perpetuated by the lack of water. Hunger, disease, and the loss of livelihoods
are all directly related to the alarming realities of a world without enough
water to drink, to clean with, or to cultivate crops.
Even with climate
shifts, the recently released UN World Water Development Report points out that
the crisis is largely due to human mismanagement of water resources. "In truth
it is attitude and behavior problems that lie at the heart of the crisis," reads
the report’s Executive Summary. Knowledge for effective water management
policies is needed now more than ever. In this special online report, the
Development Gateway brings our users the knowledge they need to help solve the
challenge of the world water crisis. |
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| 7 Challenges to Meet the World Water Crisis |
adopted by the Hague Ministerial Declaration, 2000
- Meet basic needs for safe and sufficient water and sanitation
- Protect ecosystems via sustainable water resource management
- Share water resources and promote peaceful cooperation
- Manage risks to provide security from water-related hazards
- Value water, taking into account the equity and needs of the poor
- Govern water wisely, involving all stakeholders
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