Sustaining our waters into the 21st century

This report elaborates on the policy approaches and policy options that would facilitate a long-term sustainable water use, building on other background material for the Assessment and on the outcome of an international workshop. Water planners, managers and users have to deal with many challenges as we approach the 21st century. Among the multiple functions that water fulfills, the basic human and ecosystems needs are of paramount importance. Water is also indispensable for food production, for industrial development and for a wide range of activities and processes in the landscape as well as in society. Involvement of users and sharing of responsibilities and management tasks is a prerequisite for proper choice of technological and organizational approaches. It is argued that allocation of finite water resources must be agreed upon through political and socio-economic negotiations and that due consideration must be given to the various functions that water fulfills in society and in the landscape. Intersectoral coordination and priorities in allocation are particularly demanding and current sectoral allocations may have to be reviewed. In particular, the issue of national food-sufficiency versus national food self-reliance needs to be addressed in national policies and in international agreements on global food security. The report urges that more attention be given to the qualitative aspects of water. Threats of water quality degradation will increasingly affect human and ecosystem health, as well as industrial development. Water is recognized as a vital resource for life, human and societal development and environmental sustainability. Related to this basic view is also a wide acceptance that water should be treated as an economic and social good and that management must aim for the most worthwhile use ensuring equity concerns, efficiency and environmental sustainability. (author's abstract)