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Description:
Water is a strategic resource for ensuring the integration of economic, social and environmental
concerns. Water is a key resource for social and economic development. Water sustains human
productivity and livelihoods and is elementary for the integrity of the world?s ecosystems. Safe
drinking water and adequate sanitation are essential for human health and dignity. Adequate supply
of water helps to reduce food insecurity. Water is a key to sustainable development.
However, 1.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water and close to 2.5 billion are not provided with adequate sanitation. Water is becoming scarce due to increasing demands for food production and growing populations. Pollution is on the increase, threatening tomorrow?s livelihoods. Extreme and unprecedented floods and droughts cause tremendous suffering. And the poor are hardest hit. Actions are necessary to avert this water crisis.
The Conference Outcome is intended to prepare the water-related decisions of the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Concentrating on implementation and necessary actions at all levels of decision making, the delegates will focus on Cross-cutting Issues that require major attention by Governments, UN Organisations, the Private Sector and other Civil Society actors.
These are:
Governance, Integrated Management and New Partnerships; Mobilising Financial Resources; Capacity Development and Technology Transfer; Gender Issues.
These Crosscutting Issues will be reflected across major areas of concern:
Innovative Strategies for Water and Sanitation for the Poor: Access and Affordability; Protecting Ecosystems and Water Resources: Pollution Prevention; Balancing Water Uses: Water for Food and Water for Nature; Transboundary Waters: Sharing Benefits, Lessons Learned; Floods and Droughts: Coping with Climate Change and Variability;
Answers how to improve freshwater management and how to cope with the water crisis can only be found in addressing sector related issues from a cross-cutting perspective.
Date received: November 14, 2001
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