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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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)

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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”

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