Water and sustainable development: the vision for world water, life and the environment

Water is the essence of life. Fresh water resources have faced a crisis worldwide for the last five decades. The crisis is growing rapidly. This is manifested in numerous challenges showing the various elements of the problem. These challenges include, increasing scarcity of fresh water, lack of accessibility to adequate clean drinking water and sanitation, deterioration of water quality, fragmentation of water management, nationally and globally, decline of financial resources allocation for water development, threat to world peace and security and a continuing lack of awareness of the magnitude of the problem by the decision makers and the public at large. The World Water Council was established as an international nongovernmental think tank to deal with these challenges. It has stated a target to define the vision for the world water, life and the environment for the next century. The guiding principles for the vision are based on clear assessment of the world fresh water resources, application of the integrated water resources management, valuation of water, common and shared world interest among the stakeholders and their effective participation, comprehensiveness and global coverage of all forms of fresh water and the existence of will and commitment to translate the vision into action. A process and a number of mechanisms are identified, which include broadening of the participation of the stakeholders, raising public awareness, increasing capacity building, strengthening technology research and development, promotion of efficient and effective water management and mobilization of adequate financial resources from the public and private sectors. The vision should include specific targets and a timetable to accomplish them. It is proposed that a number of key targets may include clean drinking water and sanitation for all inhabitants by 2015, adequate and secure food supplies to all by 2005, preservation of the environment and aquatic biodiversity by 2020, secured sustainable economic growth and promotion of world peace and security starting now.