Whether the water crisis deepens and intensifies-or whether key trends can be bent towards sustainable management of water resources- depends on many interacting trends in a complex system. Real solutions require an integrated approach to water resource management.
Crucial issues that may provide levers for very different futures include:
- Limiting the expansion of irrigated agriculture
- Increasing the productivity of water
- Increasing storager
- Reforming water resource management institutions
- Increasing cooperation in international basins
- Valuing ecosystem functions
- Supporting innovation
In World Water Vision the increase in water use for irrigated agriculture has to be drastically limited, with 40% more food produced (partly from rainfed agriculture) but only 9% more water consumed for irrigation. A significant decline in industrial water use in developed countries is more than offset by increases in the developing world. Municipal use goes up sharply in developing countries, to provide a minimum amount for all, and down in the development world. Recycling and higher productivity reduce the amount of water withdrawn to meet consumption needs for all uses.
OUR VISION FOR WATER AND LIFE IN 2025
By 2025 we will have achieved the three primary objectives of integrated water resource management:
- Empowering women, men, and communities to decide on the level of access to safe water and hygienic living conditions and on the types of water-using economic activities that they desire - and to organise to obtain it.
- Producing more food and creating more sustainable livelihood per unit of water applied (more crops and jobs per drop), and ensuring access for all to food required for healthy and productive lives.
- Managing water use to conserve the quantity and quality of freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems that provide services to humans and all living things.
In our World Water Vision the five key actions to achieve these objectives are to:
- Involve all stakeholders in integrated management
- More towards full-cost pricing of all water services
- Increase public funding for research and innovations in the public interest
- Increase cooperation in international water basins
- Massively increase investments in water
How, then, will the water world look in 2025? Almost every woman and man, girl and boy in the world's cities, towns, and villages will know the importance of hygiene and enjoy safe and adequate water and sanitation. People at the local level will work closely with governments and nongovernmental organisations, managing water and sanitation systems that meet everybody's basic needs without degrading the environment. People will contribute to these services according to the level of service they want and are willing to pay for. With people everywhere living in clean and healthy environments, communities and governments will benefit from stronger economic development and better health.
For full report see " www.watervision.org "
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