22 March: World Water Day ‘Coping with water Scarcity’

'Coping with Water Scarcity' is the theme for World Water Day 2007 (WWD 07), which will be celebrated on 22 March under the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This year's theme highlights the increasing significance of water scarcity worldwide and the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources, both at international and local levels.

States and the general public are invited to devote the Day to implement water-related UN recommendations and set up concrete activities as deemed appropriate in the national context. Those wanting to participate in or organize an event are invited to consult or add information to the calendar of events. The WWD 07 website also provides information on events organized on the day, slideshows, videos and other resources.

WWD 07 website
Calendar of events
UNESCO Director-General's message for WWD07 [PDF format - 56 KB]

Water access in an arid zone, Sudan © UNESCO – Annick Lacits

20 March: 60 minutes to convince on ‘UNESCO addressing water scarcity’, Paris, France

Over the past century world water withdrawals increased almost twice as fast as population growth and an increasing number of regions are chronically water short. On the occasion of World Water Day 2007 devoted to the theme ‘Coping with water scarcity’, UNESCO is organizing the meeting ‘60 minutes to convince - UNESCO addressing water scarcity’ that will take place in Room IX at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France on 20 March 2007 from 14:00 to 15:00.

Find out more about how UNESCO helps its Member States towards more sustainable water management through the provision of policy guidance, dissemination of best practices, capacity building, networking and advocacy.

UNESCO fact sheet on water scarcity [PDF format – 95 KB]

Abstract submission deadline for the ^3rd International Conference on Climate and Water extended until 26 March

The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), the Helsinki University of Technology, Finland, the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IASH) and UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP) are organizing this conference, which will take place in Helsinki, Finland, on 3-6 September 2007.

The deadline for submission of abstracts has been extended until 26 March 2007. Organizers would particularly like to receive new abstracts on the following themes:

- adaptation to the impacts of climate change in the water sector
- climate change mitigation and hydrology
- hydrological science, poverty and capacity building.

Contributions focusing on groundwater issues would also be welcome, as would new contributions from developing countries. Abstracts should be sent by e-mail to Esko Kuusisto (esko.kuusisto@ymparisto.fi) by 26 March 2007.

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Conference website

19-22 March: International WMO conference on ‘Secure and sustainable living: social and economic benefits of weather, climate and water services’, Madrid, Spain

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is holding an international conference on the social and economic benefits of the products and services provided by the meteorological and hydrological community in Madrid, Spain, on 19-22 March 2007. The conference is organized with the collaboration and support of the Ministry of the Environment of Spain.

The conference will be an occasion for representatives of various sectors of society to describe how the environment impacts them; how weather, climate and water information helps them make decisions and reduce risks; and to outline what changes would be needed to improve decision-making. By bringing together decision-makers, users and service providers, WMO aims to increase further, in view of their growing value and impact, the utility of weather, climate and water knowledge for social and economic benefit.

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7^th Permanent Forum: ‘Water: optimize the use, avoid the abuse. The Mediterranean environment, a case study’
20 March 2007, Zaragoza, Spain -Organizers: Expo Zaragoza 2008 Water Platform, Spain; Miraflores Superior College, Spain

3^rd Regional Seminar on Water and Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean
19-21 March 2007, Zaragoza, Spain -Organizers: Expo Zaragoza 2008 Water Platform, Spain

Conference on Desalination and the Environment
22-25 April 2007, Halkidiki, Greece -Organizers: European Desalination Society (EDS); Centre for Research andTechnology Hellas (CERTH), Greece

2^nd EMCO workshop ‘Emerging Contaminants in Wastewaters: Monitoring Tools and Treatment Technologies’
26-27 April 2007, Belgrade, Serbia -Organizers: High Council of Scientific Research, Spain; Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy (TMF) of the University of Belgrade, Serbia

4^th Workshop and Short Intensive Course - Wetland Water
2-8 July 2007, Biebrza, Poland -Organizer: Warsaw Agricultural University, Poland

Access a complete list of water events around the world

• Water scarcity occurs when the amount of water withdrawn from lakes, rivers or groundwater is so great that water supplies are no longer adequate to satisfy all human or ecosystem requirements, bringing about increased competition among potential demands.
• Water scarcity has also been defined as a situation where water availability in a country or in a region is below 1000 m³ per person per year. However, many regions in the world experience much more severe scarcity, living with less than 500 m³ per person per year
• Water scarcity is among the main problems to be faced by many societies and the World in the XXI^st century. Water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population increase in the last century, and, although there is no global water scarcity as such, an increasing number of regions are chronically short of water.
• 1,800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity by 2025, and two-thirds of the world population could be under stress conditions.
• Water scarcity causes enormous problems for populations and societies. The available water is not sufficient for the production of food and for alleviating hunger and poverty in some regions, where quite often the population growth is larger than the capability for sustainable use of the natural resources.
• The lack of water does not allow industrial, urban and tourism development to proceed without restrictions on water uses and allocation policies for other user sectors, particularly agriculture.
• In regions of water scarcity the water resources are probably already degraded, or subjected to processes of degradation in both quantity and quality, which adds to the shortage of water.
• Health problems are commonly associated with scarcity, not only because the deterioration of the groundwater and surface waters favours water borne diseases, but also because poverty makes it difficult to develop proper water distribution and sewerage systems.
• Water conflicts still arise in water stressed areas among local communities and between countries despite legal agreements, since sharing a very limited and essential resource is extremely difficult.
• Poverty associated with water scarcity generates migratory fluxes of populations within countries or to other countries where people hope to have a better life, but where they may not be well received.
• Water for nature has become a low or very low priority in water stressed zones. Preserving natural ecosystems is often considered a superfluous use of water compared with other uses that directly relate to healthy human life, such as domestic and urban uses, or that may lead to the alleviation of poverty and hunger, such as uses in industry, energy and food production. However, the understanding that natural ecosystems, namely the respective genetic resources, are useful for society is growing, and an effort to protect reserve areas is already developing, even in water scarce regions.

Information from the publication ‘Coping with Water Scarcity: A strategic issue and priority for system-wide action’ [PDF format – 474 KB], from the 2^nd UN World Water Development Report: 'Water, a shared responsibility' (2006) and from the United Nations Environment Network (UNEP Net) section on water scarcity.

Challenges of Water Scarcity: A Business Case for Financial Institutions [PDF format – 2.02 MB]
By the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). © 2005 UNEP FI - SIWI

The overall purpose of this report is to mobilise the financial sector to pay greater attention to the global challenges of water scarcity. The case for the financial sector is premised on the notion that water scarcity challenges pose considerable and different type of risks and opportunities for financial institutions and for their clients in many regions of the world.

Financial institutions which assume the risk of companies and projects, can exercise considerable influence – and in some cases control - over investment and management decisions that could be brought into play for the benefit of both their clients and water sustainability.

Access the full publication [PDF format – 2.02 MB]

Water resource scarcity and conflict: review of applicable indicators and systems of reference [PDF format – 806 KB] By Pal Tamas. © 2003 UNESCO

The abundance or scarcity of resources decides what direction the development of a society will take. Imbalances, not only of scarcity but of abundance also, may distort environmental and socioeconomic policies, leading to social friction, though newer approaches to social problems do not see scarcity as leading necessarily to conflict.

This article considers conflict resolution capabilities, in particular the institutional dimensions, comparing capacities in developed and developing countries. The article presents mostly tools for large-scale change, but the relevance of incremental advances is also considered. Early warning models to predict the likelihood of conflict are compared, as are risk-assessment models such as that of the Minorities at Risk Project and conflict prevention trajectories to identify ‘preventors’ of conflict.

Access the full publication [PDF format – 806 KB]

World Water Day 2007 website on coping with water scarcity

'Coping with Water Scarcity' is the theme for World Water Day 2007. The website of the Day contains technical papers, brochures, links and information on UN-Water strategies on this topic.

United Nations Environment Network (UNEP Net) section on water scarcity

This section explains what water scarcity is and contains a list of different publication related to this theme.

IWMI Global Water Scarcity Study

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Global Water Scarcity Study is a groundbreaking piece of research for the Institute and an important new planning tool for the worldwide water and development community.

This website contains information about the study and about the IWMI Policy Dialogue Model (PODIUM), a software based planning tool that helps countries shape their water and food security policies for the coming years, which can be downloaded from this page.

Access a complete list of water links around the world

Access the UNESCO Water Portal Weekly Update archives (starting at issue N° 85)

For contributions or comments, contact the editor at waterportal@unesco.org