First announcement WWD 2007

We are pleased to share the first announcement on the theme of the World Day for Water, 22 March 2007. “Coping with water scarcity” is the theme, under the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

UN-Water made this public, see http://www.unwater.org/wwd2007.html. The UN contact: Water Resources, Development and Management Service, Italy, E-mail: WWD-2007@fao.org, Fax: + 39 06 57 05 62 75.

UN-Water has identified coping with water scarcity as part of the strategic issues and priorities requiring joint UN action. The official UN text on this topic: The theme highlights the significance of cooperation and importance of an integrated approach to water resource management of water at international, national and local levels.

Equity and rights, cultural and ethical issues are essential to be addressed when dealing with limited water resources. Imbalances between availability and demand, the degradation of groundwater and surface water quality, intersectoral competition, interregional and international disputes, all centre on the question of how to cope with scarce water resources.

Information from IRC web site

To assist you preparing your own World Water Day programme we are sharing below a few information resources available on our web site.

First a few selected news items from our electronic Source newsletter.

Water crisis: global action required, say two new studies

Two new studies on the world’s deteriorating water situation have drawn widespread media attention. A report by the WWF conservation organisation shows how the looming water crisis is affecting both rich and poor countries. The second study, published by the IWMI, concludes that one-third of the human population - mostly in the developing world - is now short of water.

India: buying sewage to survive

Chennai Petroleum Corporation, then Madras Refineries, had to shut operations in the late 1980s due to water scarcity. Today it buys sewage and treats it to meet its raw water requirements.

Water scarcity: threat to global business

Businesses around the world are failing to prepare for the serious economic and political risks posed by growing competition for fresh water, the threat of water contamination, and rising water-related costs.

Searches

We also invite you to have a look at a few of the searches below related to water scarcity topics:

• water scarcity
• equity
• gender
• poverty
• MDG 10
• productive use
• IWRM
• behavioural change
• monitoring

Dick de Jong, Moderator