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After Johannnesburg
Towards the water policies for the 21st century

Mots clés : Forum Mondial de l'Eau, Gestion intégrée des ressources en eau, Kyoto, Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement, OMD, partenariats public privé, PPP, politiques de l'eau, water policies, World Water Forum, WWF-3
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Index du dossier
1. Towards the waters policies for the 21st century – Introduction
2. The Water World at the Turn of the Millennium: An Overview of the WWF-2
3. Towards the WSSD: The International Conference on Freshwater
4. Key Concern Areas: WEHAB and the Preparatory Phase before Johannesburg
5. The WSSD: Analysis of Results from Water Resources Point of View
6. Water Policies for the 21st Century: the Legacy of WSSD
7. Background
Page 6 sur 7

200303_kyoto_2.jpgWater Policies for the 21st Century: the Legacy of WSSD

 

The preceding sections clearly document the evolutionary process of the recent events shaping principles and concepts towards water resources policies of the "water world". The WSSD gave, in fact, a high level endorsement to these ideas. It even added, with the explicit call for "water efficiency plans", a new challenge and task to the professional community. The following Table 4 summarises and comments on the water policy and the planning of relevant WSSD/PI statements. This can serve also as a checklist to identify the areas of need for further research, development and knowledge sharing.
As this table reveals, the summit of Johannesburg can serve as a reference point in shaping water policy and its inherent activities. Its strongest legacy is expected to be its endorsement of concepts and appeals elaborated by preceding water-related conferences and ministerial declarations. Simultaneously, the WSSD passes the mandate to subsequent events, first and foremost to the 3rd WWF to follow up its water legacy. The shift from commitment to action refers also to water policy and planning to move from concepts to implementation. Water did not only win in Johannesburg. We also obtained a water mandate.

 


STATEMENT OF WSSD/PI COMMENT CONSEQUENCE, FOLLOW UP
1.Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Endorsement of previous statements by other conferences and declarations Further development and practical use of the concept needed
2. Integrated sanitation into IWRM Should be an obvious part of IWRM Monitor in practical implementation
3. IWRM to optimize upstream/downstream benefits Political mandate of IWRM to be a tool of water conflicts resolutions IWRM to be implemented also in international context
4. Effective Integrated management over all uses Should be an obvious part of IWRM, Mandate to resolve sectoral water conflicts Monitor practical implementation
5. Integrated land management and water use plans (in agricultural context) Should be a focused subject of IWRM Should result in land use changes and better use of water irrigation
6. Land use and linked water resources management plans to offset floods & droughts Should be a focused subject of IWRM Develop as part of disaster preparedness + links to IWRM
7. Combat desertification: land-water-forest management plans Explicit linkage of IWRM with creeping environmental degradation Implement plans and monitor impacts improvements
8. National strategies for disaster management Identification of a serious need. Lacking in most of the countries Link plans with IWRM at all scales
9. Watershed planning Should be an obvious part of IWRM Assess efficiency both locally and basinwide
10. Freshwater Programmes for small island developing states Recognizing particular vulnerability. Not spelled out who should do it Additional focused funding and capacity building needed
11. Transboundary Water Treaties Explicit acknowledgement of the need of legal framework for water sharing  Prepare concepts, review best practices
12. Promote better land use and water management practices Awareness raising, outreach mandated Develop dissemination strategies and material
13. Water Efficiency Plans New term, not defined contentwise Develop concept and guides for this plan

Table 4: Statements with Relevance to Water Policy and Planning in the WSSD/PI

From Potential Conflict to Co-operation Potential: Water for Peace

Table 4 contains two statements (3 and 11) related to the principle of equitable sharing of water-generated benefits along a river. One in context of IWRM in general and one in particular by referring to the possible international implications of this task.

In recent years, there has been an emergence of the fear of "water wars" in the 21st century, after several related statements in the media. UNESCO and Green Cross International took the initiative to launch a comprehensive programme to investigate how far these fears are justified and how could the "water world" be prepared to respond to challenges inherent in the management of shared water resources in order to avoid these gloomy prophecies becoming true. This ongoing programme is to illustrate how science, but also public awareness raising programmes, should be conceived to provide policy relevant advice, background information, change perception and develop methodologies.



 
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