Water - sustainable development

Access to fresh water. Water is essential for every living creature on the

planet.

The access to water is related with the food supply.

1,2 billion people lack freshwater.

Distribution

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

The percentage of the population in some countries that lack fresh

water.

What creates an increased waterconsumption? Population growth.

Economic growth based on agriculture and industry.

Increased standard of living.

Four threats against the watercycle.

1. Deforestationand overgrazing.

2. Contaminationof waterresources.

3. Overuse ofgroundwater.

4. Global warming.

• Virtual water (alsoknown as hiddenwater and embedded water) is the amount ofwater that is used in the production of a good or service.

• For exampel: toproduce one kilo ofmeat you needapproximately 16 000 liters of water.

• This means: peopleand countries thathave plenty of watercan make a difference on a global scale.

How to improve the situation and create a sustainable development. Rainwater harvesting in arid climates (for agriculture).

Wastewater treatment for reuse, particulary in agriculture.

Improve methods for watering.

Processing and venture in drought tolerance crops.

More efficient water use in the industry.

Improve the legal protection of water resources.

Water conflict Our most important recourse

Self explanatory that the lack of water leads to conflict

The Jordan river Its springs are located in Lebanon

The countries along the river directed the flow so thatthey could have the water for them self.

Six-Day War

The Nile Egypt controls most of the water coming from the river

A partnership was entered between the countries along the river

This was made as an effort to avoid conflicts

In 2010 Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania singed an agreement to start use more of the Nile’s water

This has created discord among the other nations along the river Nile

Israel och Palestina Israel controls the water in the area

To avoid any bigger conflicts than the one already in existence Palestinian and Israel entered an agreement over the water resources

Showing the importance of water

What Israel on the other hand do is that they cut of the flow of water when there is a drought

Avoid conflicts Countries need to learn to cooperate and think ahead

Sources: Swedish National Encyklopedia, www.Ne.se ”Vatten, mat och hunger, om vattnets betydelse för att utrota hungern, 2009”- Swedish

Chruch UNESCO - ”Water Footprint Network” -

http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/home UN -”Human development report”, 2005 and ”World Water Development Report 2” 2006

UN -”Water and Urbanisation” -http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/swm_cities_zaragoza_2010/pdf/03_water_and_urbanisation.pdf

“How Close Do We Live to Water? A Global Analysis of Population Distance to Freshwater Bodies” -http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0020578

USGS -“U.S Geological Survey” http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html Pacific Institute -”The world’s water” -http://www.worldwater.org/conflict.html