The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue

176 Pages·2012·3.52 MB·English

The Global Water Crisis:
Addressing an Urgent Security Issue
Foreword by Gro Harlem Brundtland
Edited by Harriet Bigas
with Tim Morris, Bob Sandford and Zafar Adeel
Series Editor: Thomas S. Axworthy

The Global Water Crisis:
Addressing an Urgent Security Issue
Papers for the InterAction Council, 2011-2012
Edited by Harriet Bigas
with Tim Morris, Bob Sandford and Zafar Adeel
Series Editor: Thomas S. Axworthy
Edited by Harriet Bigas
About the InterAction Council
Established in 1983, the InterAction Council of Former Heads of State and Government is an international organization
whose objective is to address long-term, global issues facing humankind. Co-Chaired by the Right Honourable Jean
Chrétien (Prime Minister of Canada, 1993-2003) and Dr. Franz Vranitzky (Chancellor of Austria, 1986-1997), the Council’s
membership is comprised of more than 30 former heads of state who volunteer their time to develop proposals for action
and submit them directly to national and international decision-makers.
About the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation was established in 1965 as a private charitable foundation with a mandate to
improve public policy in Canada. One of its major programming areas supports the development of a comprehensive legal,
regulatory and citizen action framework for the purpose of protecting the quality and quantity of freshwater resources
for future generations of Canadians.
About UNU-INWEH
The United Nations University – Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) is a member of the United
Nations University family of organizations. It was created by the UNU Governing Council in 1996 to strengthen water
management capacity, particularly in developing countries, and to provide on-the-ground project support. Its core funding
is provided by the Government of Canada and it is hosted by McMaster University, Canada.
Available from:
United Nations University – Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)
175 Longwood Road South, Suite 204 Hamilton, ON L8P OA1 Canada
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.inweh.unu.edu
Suggested citation:
Bigas, H. (Ed.), 2012. The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue. Papers for the InterAction Council,
2011-2012. Hamilton, Canada: UNU-INWEH.
Copyright © UNU-INWEH, 2012.
ISBN: 92-808-6032-1
Photo credits: Zafar Adeel, Harriet Bigas, UN Photo/Olivier Chassot, Andrew Dansie, Caroline King, UN Photo/Yutaka
Nagata, Corinne Schuster-Wallace, Richard Thomas.
Creative design: Carrie Waluchow
Disclaimer: The designations employed and presentations of material throughout this publication do not imply the
expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations University (UNU) concerning legal status of
any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
The views expressed in this publication are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of
UNU. Mention of the names of firms or commercial products does not imply endorsement by UNU.
Contents
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
The Global Water Crisis: Framing the Issue
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Part : Water and Global Security
1
1.1 Will the Next Wars Be Fought Over Water? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.2 Water Impacts on Energy Security and Reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.3 Water and Enviromental Security: Supporting Ecosystems and People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.4 Water, Climate Change and Human Security: Conflict and Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
1.5 Water and Political Security: Conflict in West Asia and North Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
1.6 The Blue Economy: Risks and Opportunities in Addressing the Global Water Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Part 2: Enhancing Water Security through Development
2.1 A Human Development Approach to Water Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
2.2 Water and Health Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
2.3 Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and the Millennium Development Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
2.4 Water, Food and the Development Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
2.5 Investing in Women’s Participation for Enhanced Water Security: A Practitioner’s View from Sri Lanka . . . . 100
2.6 Water Governance Reform in Afghanistan: Early Lessons for a Water-secure Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Part 3: Will the Right to Water Alleviate the Global Water Crisis?
3.1 Legal and Ethical Dimensions of a Right to Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
3.2 The Right to Water: Moving from International Recognition to National Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
3.3 False Panacea: The Human Right to Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
3.4 Access to Water and Conflict: An Indigenous Perspective from Latin America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Conclusions
Response from the InterAction Council on the World Water Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
The InterAction Council Québec Declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
List of Participants
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Acknowledgements
The InterAction Council is extremely grateful to the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation of Canada for organizing
the High-Level Expert Group meeting on the Global Water Crisis in March, 2011. The Council also extends its warmest
appreciation to Labatt Breweries of Canada; the RBC Blue Water Project; the United Nations University Institute for Water,
Environment and Health; the International Development and Relief Foundation; the Harbinger Foundation; XPV Capital
Corporation and Sembcorp Industries Ltd. of Singapore.
The InterAction Council gratefully acknowledges the support of the following governments, foundations and private
corporations that supported the 29th Annual Plenary Meeting of the InterAction Council in Québec City in May, 2011.
Governments
The Government of Australia
The Government of Brazil
The Government of Canada
The Government of Japan
The Government of Sweden
The Government of Québec
City of Québec
Foundations and Private Corporations
The Tung Foundation (Hong Kong)
The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation (Canada)
Bombardier Inc.
Labatt Breweries of Canada
Power Corporation of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada
Sembcorp Industries Ltd. (Singapore)
***
The InterAction Council is extremely grateful for the tireless work of the book’s editor, Harriet Bigas. Harriet’s diligence,
perseverance, and eye for detail ensured the Council was able to draw on the work of the world’s leading water experts
to illuminate the breadth and depth of our water security challenges and opportunities. We must also thank Zafar Adeel,
Director of the United Nations University, Institute for Water, Environment and Health, our partner and publisher for
this book. The Council is delighted to have collaborated on this project with an institution that leads the way globally in
innovative research and solutions to the world’s water problems.
The Council wants to especially acknowledge the contributions of Bob Sandford and Tim Morris. Bob not only has a
wealth of knowledge but infectious enthusiasm for the subject of improving water policy, while Tim guides the Walter
and Duncan Gordon Foundation in educating Canadians and citizens of the world about the centrality of water in our
lives. Neither the InterAction Council’s High-Level Expert Group Meeting on the global water crisis nor this book would
have happened without them.
***
Acknowledgements vii
Foreword

Foreword
H.E. Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland
Member of the InterAction Council
Former Prime Minister of Norway