The Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) has reported that many
countries lack adequate legislation and policies for efficient and equitable
allocation and use of water resources. Progress is, however, being made
with the review of national legislation and enactment of new laws and
Concern has also been expressed about the growing incapacity of national
hydrological services and agencies, particularly in developing countries,
to assess their respective water resources. Many agencies have experienced
reductions in observation networks and staff despite increases in water
demand. A number of response measures have been undertaken including the
World Hydrological Cycle Observing System (WHYCOS), which has been implemented
in several regions. Its main objective is to contribute to the improvement
of national and regional water resource assessment capabilities (CSD 1997b).
Many different kinds of organizations play a role in water policy decisions,
from national governments to local community groups. Over the past decades,
however, there has been a growing emphasis on increasing the participation
and responsibility of small, local groups and an acknowledgement that
communities have an important role to play in water policy.
The Ministerial Declaration at The Hague in March 2000 (see box below)
called for 'Governing water wisely: to ensure good governance, so that
the involvement of the public and the interests of all stakeholders are
included in the management of water resources' (World Water Forum 2000).
The private sector has recently begun to expand its role in water management.
The 1990s saw a rapid increase in the rate and extent of privatization
of previously publicly managed water systems. Private water companies
are increasingly serving the needs of growing cities by taking over contracts
from public agencies to build, own and operate some or even all of a municipal
system. At the same time, concerns have been growing about how best to
ensure equitable access to water for the poor, finance projects and share
Ministerial Declaration on Water Security in the 21st Century
|Some 120 ministers of water attending the Second World Water Forum
held at The Hague in March 2000 adopted a declaration aimed at achieving
world water security. The declaration noted the following as the main
challenges of this new century:
- Meeting basic needs: to recognize that access to safe
and sufficient water and sanitation are basic human needs and
are essential to health and well-being, and to empower people,
especially women, through a participatory process of water management.
- Securing the food supply: to enhance food security, particularly
of the poor and vulnerable, through the more efficient mobilization
and use, and the more equitable allocation of water for food production.
- Protecting ecosystems: to ensure the integrity of ecosystems
through sustainable water resources management.
- Sharing water resources: to promote peaceful cooperation
and develop synergies between different uses of water at all levels,
whenever possible, within and, in the case of boundary and transboundary
water resources, between states concerned, through sustainable
river basin management or other appropriate approaches.
- Managing risks: to provide security from floods, droughts,
pollution and other water-related hazards.
- Valuing water: to manage water in a way that reflects
its economic, social, environmental and cultural values for all
its uses, and to move towards pricing water services to reflect
the cost of their provision. This approach should take account
of the need for equity and the basic needs of the poor and the
- Governing water wisely: to ensure good governance, so
that the involvement of the public and the interests of all stakeholders
are included in the management of water resources.
|Source: World Water Forum 2000