“Water is central to the well-being of people and the planet. We must work together to protect and carefully manage this fragile, finite resourceâ€. These were the words of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during his message to the world on The International Year of Water Co-operation.
It’s the theme the UN put to 2013, and it aims to highlight the importance of transboundary water management. Water is one of our planet’s most precious commodities, and while there are currently 264 water co-operation agreements in place across the globe, the aim is to create even more awareness through proper education.
What is water co-operation?
The Nile River is responsible for water delivery to a number of countries. It doesn’t belong to any of these nations, but they all have to work together to ensure that the river’s water is used in ways that’ll benefit everyone, without depleting its resources.
This coming together of parties to manage a water resource effectively is known as water co-operation. It happens across borders, but also on a national and local level. Imagine, for instance, residents of a town dumping waste into a river. This act is bound to render the water unsafe for people living in a city downstream. Only when the people from both cities work together, can this situation be avoided. If they don’t, conflict and disputes could easily arise, which could lead to bigger problems.
Why is water co-operation important?
Humans tend to use water wastefully; almost without thinking about it. This is why we need water co-operation – it will force parties sharing a water resource to rethink the way they use it. This practice won’t only bring about sustainable water usage; it will also strengthen ties between the parties involved.
According to the UN, water co-operation has many other far-reaching implications as well. They predict that it could further socio-economic development, and eradicate poverty and even gender equality. And that, the UN says, is just the start.
What can I do?
The UN is hosting many events around the world to commemorate The International Year of Water Co-operation, but if you can’t get to one of these, you can still become involved:
- Tell friends and family about the initiative.
- Educate yourself on water co-operation and share your knowledge.
- Become a fan on their Facebook page and share the link on other social media vehicles.
- Organise an event in your neighbourhood or town, and get the entire community involved.
Most importantly, don’t forget to use water wisely too – our existence depends on this precious resource.
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