LEARNING MATERIAL FOR SCHOOLS WORLD WATER DAY 2015 WATER FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD LEARNING MATERIAL FOR SCHOOLS WORLD WATER DAY 2015

OUTLINE OF TRAINING MATERIAL Introduction Significance of 2015 World Water Day Water connects and enables The water future we want Conclusion

1. INTRODUCTION Water is linked to the development of all societies and cultures Water flows through the three dimensions of sustainable development: Economic Social Environmental

Khushneet Bhatia 10 Years, India 1. INTRODUCTION Water is key in achieving: Poverty reduction Inclusive growth Public health Food security Lives of dignity for all Long-lasting harmony with Earth’s essential ecosystems 5th Global Prize Winner Khushneet Bhatia 10 Years, India UNEP, 21st International Children's Painting Competition Photo Gallery

1. INTRODUCTION Global water demand is influenced by: Population growth Urbanization Industrialization Food and energy security policies Macro-economic processes such as trade globalization Changing diets and increasing consumption The competition for water − between water ‘uses’ and water ‘users’ − increases the risk of conflicts

Total renewable water resources per capita per year, 2013 1. INTRODUCTION Total renewable water resources per capita per year, 2013

2. 2015 A UNIQUE YEAR World Water Day 2015 focuses attention on the importance of water, whilst advocating for sustainable development Deadline for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Defining and adopting new global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Setting an aspirational and a realistic vision of water towards 2050

3. WATER CONNECTS AND ENABLES Water is essential, finite and vulnerable Water is a driver for development and enables: Health Nature Urbanization Industry Energy Food Equality

3. WATER IS HEALTH Do you know? Your body is made of 50-65% water You can last weeks without food, but only days without water World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 7.5 liters per person per day Regular hand-washing is the most effective way for removing and preventing the spread of germs which cause disease Out of 7.2 billion people in the world 748 million do not have access to an improved source of drinking water 2.5 billion do not use an improved sanitation facility Afflicted are mostly the poorest and marginalized populations

3. WATER IS NATURE Ecosystems – forests, wetlands, lakes, rivers, aquifers, coastal zones and grassland – lie at the heart of the global water cycle Unsustainable water abstractions and pollution degrades and weakens the capacity of an ecosystem to provide water-related services ‘Ecosystem-based management’ often neglected is key in ensuring water long term sustainability Investment in protecting and restoring natural ecosystems is critical

3. WATER IS URBANIZATION 3. 9 billion or 54% of people on the planet now live in cities, with 30% of all city dwellers residing in slums. There are challenges exacerbated by climate change and water related disasters: Although MDG target on access to safe drinking water was met in 2010, progress has not matched the rapid pace of urbanization The situation is grim with regard to sanitation 90% of all wastewater in developing countries is discharged untreated directly into rivers, lakes or the oceans, causing major environmental and health risks Weak institutions and local governance structures particularly in response to slum areas

3. WATER IS INDUSTRY Some industries are more water-intense than others e.g. 10 liters of water are used to make one sheet of paper 91 liters are used to make 500 grams of plastic Global water demand for manufacturing is expected to increase by 400% from 2000 to 2050 (mostly in developing countries), which is much larger than other sectors Technology and smart planning, can reduce the use of water, and improve the quality of wastewater

3. WATER IS ENERGY Water and energy are natural partners Water is required to generate energy Energy is required to deliver water 80% of power generation is by thermal electricity. Water is heated to create steam to drive electrical generators Hydropower accounts for 16% of global electricity production Although renewable energy (from naturally replenished sources like sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal) requires less water it remains marginal at global scale Desalination still remains energy intensive although in oil and gas rich Arab States dozens of nuclear-powered plants are expected to go online in the next two decades

3. WATER IS FOOD Globally, almost 870 million people are chronically undernourished Agriculture is the largest user of water, accounting for 70% of total withdrawal By 2050, agriculture will need to produce 60% more food globally, and 100% more in developing countries to achieve food security Managing water demand in agriculture means increasing agricultural productivity i.e. more crop per drop of water Shifting diets from predominantly starch-based to meat and dairy, will require more water Producing 1 kilo of rice, for example, requires about 3,500 liters of water, while 1 kilo of beef some 15,000 liters Increased intensive crop production can lead to: Depletion of aquifers Reduced river flows Degraded wildlife habitats Salinization

3. WATER IS EQUALITY Key principles for enhancing effective governance include: Participation Accountability Transparency Equality and fairness Efficiency and effectiveness Rule of law Powerless groups tend to be shut out of not just access to water but also the processes whereby allocation decisions are made Potential inter-state and regional conflicts need to be managed (158 of the world’s 263 trans-boundary water basins lack any type of cooperative management framework) Improved gender equality is a key to boosting water management and access

3. ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE Climate variability and change will affect both sides of the freshwater supply and demand balance (quantity and quality) in several ways: Change in quantity in space and time (drought and floods) Increased temperature hence higher evaporation Increased transpiration Seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers Oxygen depletion due to higher water temperatures Higher content of pollutants flowing into water bodies Impacts biodiversity and ecosystem services

3. ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE Responses to climate variability and change will include: Adaptive management Strategies for low or no-regret solutions Building resilient communities Continuous learning Knowledge generation for policy formulation Generating data and actionable information to support scientific knowledge Exploration and support for new forms of data collection and processing e.g. earth observation, remote sensing and geographic information systems, mobile technology Human and institutional capacity development

4. THE WATER FUTURE WE WANT 3rd Global Prize Winner Hock Kah Chang 15 Years, Malaysia UNEP, 21st International Children's Painting Competition Photo Gallery

4. THE WATER FUTURE WE WANT The water future we want and vision 2050 is shaped by the Rio+20 Outcome Document, and Post 2015 Agenda documents. The following aspects are key: Water and related resources are managed in support of human well-being and ecosystem integrity Sufficient and safe water is made available to meet every person’s basic needs Water infrastructure and service delivery are financed Wastewater is treated as a resource (energy, nutrients and freshwater for reuse)

4. THE WATER FUTURE WE WANT Human settlements develop in harmony with the natural water cycle Integrated approaches to water resources development, management and use are adopted Water is governed in a participatory way that draws on the full potential of women and men Water management organizations are knowledgeable and transparent

5. CONCLUSION In this lecture you have learnt the following: How water permeates through the three dimensions of sustainable development Significance of World Water Day 2015 The thematic areas highlighting water as an essential, finite, and vulnerable resources in relation to sustainable development Challenges of water as a driver in sustainable development (including climate change) Aspects of the water future we want

Congratulations you are now Water Wise!! Did you know that 80% of your brain is water! The follow up saying is “use your water wisely”

Do you want to learn more about water. Visit www. cap-net Do you want to learn more about water? Visit www.cap-net.org “Empowering Individuals, Enabling Environments”