4th World Water Forum

[Chris]

I thought to post this for those interested in environmental affairs as we've discussed the issues around water frequently in the forum. The 4th world water forum started last week in Mexico. The BBC (bless them for their good reporting) has a an interesting section set aside discussing the issues http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/...er/default.stm

Generally, besides all the other environmental threats today like running out of fossil fuels, global warming issues, cutting down forests, decimating coral reefs and wetland areas, we're also in a world water crisis. Environmental balances are disturbed and cannot play their regulating role anymore. Some water facts published on the formal site http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/

1.1 billion people live without clean drinking water
1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases
3 900 children die every day from water borne diseases
2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation
Daily per capita use of water in residential areas:
- 350 litres in North America and Japan
- 200 litres in Europe
- 10-20 litres in sub-Saharan Africa

Quantity of water needed to produce 1 kg of:
- wheat: 1 000 L
- rice: 1 400 L
- beef: 13 000 L

Here are the Dominican Republic water facts and figures published by earthtrends http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_libra...at_cou_214.pdf

[Mirador]

The 4th World Water Forum has brought to the forefront the irreconcilable ideological differences among participants regarding access to water. While poor countries want water declared a social and cultural good, a basic human right to which people should have access "equitably and without discrimination", the industrialized countries, together with international financial institutions like the Wold Bank and the IMF, want water treated like an economic commodity to be wrestled away from public control and subject to privatization.

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[Chris]

Was a Boutros Boutros Ghali who predicted regional water wars some years ago already?

[Mirador]

Originally Posted by Chris

Was a Boutros Boutros Ghali who predicted regional water wars some years ago already?

The supposed activity of terrorist groups in the Triple Frontier between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay has been pointed out as a pretext for the United States to increase military presence in that region and fulfill its true objective: silently seize the Guaraní Aquifer, the most important fresh water reserve in the world.

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[Chris]

Do you have anything you can cite about this for more reading Mirador? My knowledge of that part of the world and its politics is not good at all. On 2nd thoughts, feel free to pm any further information if it would incite 'anti-anything' feelings

[Mirador]

Originally Posted by Chris

Do you have anything you can cite about this for more reading Mirador? My knowledge of that part of the world and its politics is not good at all. On 2nd thoughts, feel free to pm any further information if it would incite 'anti-anything' feelings

Type the following in the google search bar: "guarani aquifer" + terrorism + military, and you will get over 300 hits of interesting reading.


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[Diana11]

ok i'll see