EDITORIAL - JULY 2003

This edition of Issues looks at International Year of Freshwater. In announcing 2003 as International Year of Freshwater, Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, argued that, 'Grave consequences lie ahead if we fail to meet these goals: the persistence and spread of deadly diseases, further damage to the global environment, threats to food security and stability itself'.

The facts worldwide speak for themselves:

• one in five developing countries will face water shortages by 2030
  
• 2.4 billion people do not have access to proper sanitation
  
• over 2.2 million people die each year from diseases associated with poor water and sanitary conditions
  
• 6000 children die every day from diseases that can be prevented by improving water quality and sanitation
  
• over 250 million people suffer from such diseases every year.

At the Millennium Summit in 2000, world leaders agreed to reduce by half, by the year 2015, the proportion of people who are unable to reach, or to afford, safe drinking water. And at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg last year, a matching target was adopted - a commitment to halve the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation services, also by 2015.

In November 2002, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights affirmed that access to adequate amounts of clean water for personal and domestic uses is a fundamental human right of all people. The Committee noted that 'the human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights.'

In order to meet some of these targets a number of issues need to be addressed. While in most regions there is still enough water to meet everyone's needs, it needs to be properly managed and used. An article by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) argues that, 'While there is no global water crisis, the serious water and food security problems in some developing countries and regions need to be urgently addressed.' One in five developing countries will face water shortages by 2030. Agriculture is by far the biggest water user, accounting for some 70 percent of all water withdrawals (industry: 20 per cent, domestic: 10 per cent). While the daily drinking water needs of humans are very small - four litres per person - the water required to produce a person's daily food is much higher: it varies between 2000 and 5000 litres.

Water quality and availability are not, however, only a problem in developing countries. A number of countries around the world, including Australia, are experiencing the worst droughts they have seen in decades. The impact of drought particularly on drylands is outlined in an article by the World Resources Institute.

Perhaps the most important message for International Year of Freshwater, however, is that rather than take it for granted, we all need to act to ensure that this important resource is available for current and future generations.