ISSUES 63
WATER
JULY 2003

Editorial

Water For Our Future: What Are the Trends?
UNESCO
In a world experiencing great population growth and ever-increasing water use, our concern about the future is very understandable. Global trends are not optimistic, and show increasing environmental, social and economic difficulties as a result of the many competing pressures on our natural resources.

From Rio to Johannesburg: Securing Water for People, Crops and Ecosystems
Sandra Postel, World Watch Institute
In the decade since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the world's water problems have worsened markedly, even as concern about them has risen steadily. Overshadowed at Rio by other pressing issues - notably climate change, biodiversity and forests - fresh water came under a brighter spotlight during the 1990s. A steady stream of global commissions, conferences and networks drew attention to water's fundamental importance to food production, human health, poverty alleviation, ecosystem protection, and regional peace and stability. Actual improvements on the ground, however, have lagged badly behind this growing awareness.

The Right to Water
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - UNESCO
It has frequently been argued in the international arena that the acknowledgement of water as a human right may prove to be the most important step in addressing the challenge of providing people with this most basic element of life.

Water Quality
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
The most serious water quality problem affecting children in developing countries is the pollution of water with human faeces. At least 3 million children die every year from diseases related to water and sanitation - many by the ingestion of faecal matter in water used for drinking and cooking. While it is now recognised that the faecal-oral cycle is best broken through an integrated program emphasising the promotion of hygiene behavioural change and environmental sanitation, the physical protection of water sources from faecal contamination remains a key issue.

No Global Water Crisis - But Many Developing Countries Will Face Water Scarcity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Agriculture in developing countries will need to produce more crops per litre of water, promote equitable access to water and conserve precious water resources.

Record Droughts Raise Concerns over the Future of Drylands
Christian Layke, World Resources Institute
Drier than normal weather conditions in regions around the world - including near-record droughts in some countries - have sparked growing concern about the state of the world's drylands. Heavy use is stretching the limits of the world's drylands, which are home to more than 2 billion people, one-third of the earth's population.

Managing Australia's Freshwater Resources
Environment Australia
The Commonwealth Government plays a fundamental role in promoting the sustainable use, management and protection of Australia's freshwater resources, and in helping to address the widespread degradation of our precious land and water resources.

Schools Go Bush to Save Water
Brad Collis
School students in South Australia's Riverland district have become the key field researchers in a ground-breaking community environmental program aimed at restoring freshwater flows to the Murray River.

A Waterways Health Check
CSIRO Education
How healthy is your local creek, stream, lake or wetland? Here's a simple guide that will help you rate the health of your local waterway. It's easy, doesn't take too much time or require complex equipment, and it will allow you to tune into a vital component of our environment.

MYRiveR: Murrumbidgee Youth River Rally 2002
Colin Lennox Director, International Programs, Oz GREEN
MYRiveR: Murrumbidgee Youth River Rally 2002 was conducted in the Murrumbidgee Catchment from the 5 August to 2 September 2002. Students from across the catchment tested the water quality in their local area and then came together for a congress, where they developed a vision for the future, and action plans for the catchment and their schools.