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"Water, water everywhere! And not a
drop to drink!"
Water has
emerged as one of the primary environmental concerns for the 21st
century. Many parts of the world are currently facing water shortages,
while others must contend with severe water pollution. The consequences
are bleak: social, economic and political instability leading, in the
worst case scenario, to violence over dwindling water resources. Immediate
action is needed to stall the emerging crisis and to begin reversing many
of the trends we have set over time.
A number of organizations around the world are working towards
resolving these issues. It becomes apparent, though, that there are no
easy solutions. Since water
flows irrespective of political and
even cultural borders, cooperation amongst the various stakeholders must
become an essential part of the global effort.
Communication is key. While the larger initiatives on the part of
governments and prominent international organizations have been well
documented, there is little information regarding the efforts of smaller,
more local projects in sustainable water management.
This on-line module on Sustainable Water Management Initiatives
was developed to highlight the various small scale and community-led
projects in sustainable water management undertaken by some of the
world’s leading non-governmental organizations in Sustainable
Development.
As members of the Sustainable Development Communication Network (SDCN),
these organizations work together to develop, promote and share
information on sustainable development using the Internet and other
electronic media. The work of the various partners, including previous
collaborative projects on Sustainable
Livelihoods and Sustainable
Cities and information
regarding membership,
can be accessed via the SDCN portal site: SD
Gateway
This module integrates the work of four
member organizations, based in Africa, South Asia and Europe, as well as
draws on the experiences of other organizations in various parts of the
world. The following is a breakdown of the module:
World Water Scenario: Presents a background to the current water
crisis and describes past and present initiatives.
What is Sustainable Water Management?: Definition
and key concepts.
Advantages and Barriers to Sustainable Water
Management: What can be gained by adopting Sustainable Water
Management practices? What factors are currently hindering the adoption of
these practices and how should we proceed to overcome these barriers?
Regional Initiatives: Divided into
five main areas, this section describes regional water concerns and the
approach taken by each organization to address these issues. Case studies
and lessons learned will illustrate the gains made and help identify new
directions in sustainable water management.
Relevant Resources on the Internet: Comprehensive listing of
information on water resources found on the Internet. Enter here to find
other organizations, publications, etc.
Contact Us:
Want to reach us? Here’s how!
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