a new water ethic, presentated at gwsp conference, bonn, 23 may 2013

18
Towards a New Water Ethic Towards a New Water Ethic David Groenfeldt Water-Culture Institute Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA www.waterculture.org GWSP Conference “Water in the Anthropocene” Bonn, May 21-24, 2012 Session: 'Blue Gold'? The Value and Price of Water: Cultural and Normative Approaches

Upload: david-groenfeldt

Post on 07-Jun-2015

92 views

Category:

Technology


0 download

DESCRIPTION

If we aggregate the various UN resolutions and international declarations about water, we find a surprisingly progressive set of principles. The good news is that we have some valuable principles already spelled out; the bad news is that we often ignore those principles...

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

Towards a New Water EthicTowards a New Water Ethic

David GroenfeldtWater-Culture Institute

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USAwww.waterculture.org

GWSP Conference “Water in the Anthropocene”

Bonn, May 21-24, 2012

Session: 'Blue Gold'? The Value and Price of Water: Cultural

and Normative Approaches

Page 2: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

ContentsContents

1.1. Anthropocene vs. EcozoicAnthropocene vs. Ecozoic

2.2. Water ethics vs. water standardsWater ethics vs. water standards

3.3. Evolution of a global water ethic Evolution of a global water ethic

4.4. Key principles of ethical consensusKey principles of ethical consensus

5.5. Emerging ethical conceptsEmerging ethical concepts

6.6. From principles to practiceFrom principles to practice

7.7. Water Ethics CharterWater Ethics Charter

Page 3: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

1. Anthropocene vs. Ecozoic1. Anthropocene vs. Ecozoic

Fact: Fact: Humans have changed the Humans have changed the water environment.water environment.

Opportunity: Opportunity: How will we How will we respond?respond?

Study the technical and behavioral problemsStudy the technical and behavioral problems Develop technical and behavioral solutionsDevelop technical and behavioral solutions Work on transforming the underlying cultureWork on transforming the underlying culture

Reframe the problem as one of Reframe the problem as one of values / ethicsvalues / ethics

Look for solutions within those Look for solutions within those domainsdomains

Page 4: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

2. Water Ethics vs. Water Standards2. Water Ethics vs. Water Standards

StandardsStandards

Minimum requirements, baselineMinimum requirements, baselineReflect values/ethicsReflect values/ethics““soft law”soft law”

EthicsEthicsAspirational, positive, open-endedAspirational, positive, open-endedReflect worldview (culture)Reflect worldview (culture)Code of conductCode of conduct

Page 5: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013
Page 6: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

3. Evolution of a Global Water Ethic3. Evolution of a Global Water Ethic

Dublin PrinciplesDublin Principles

Principle #1 Principle #1 – “…holistic approach, linking social and – “…holistic approach, linking social and economic development with protection of natural economic development with protection of natural ecosystems.”ecosystems.”Principle #2Principle #2 – “…participatory approach….[and] – “…participatory approach….[and] decisions are taken at the lowest appropriate level…” decisions are taken at the lowest appropriate level…” Principle #3Principle #3 – “…empower women to participate at all – “…empower women to participate at all levels in water resources programs…”levels in water resources programs…”Principle #4Principle #4 – “Managing water as an economic good – “Managing water as an economic good [for] achieving efficient and equitable use…and [for] achieving efficient and equitable use…and protection of water resources.”protection of water resources.”

Page 7: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013
Page 8: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

4. Key Principles of Ethical Consensus4. Key Principles of Ethical Consensus

Keep Nature HealthyKeep Nature Healthy

WFD target of “good ecological status”WFD target of “good ecological status”

Human right to healthy environmentHuman right to healthy environment

Human right to water and sanitationHuman right to water and sanitation

Responsible water useResponsible water use

Participatory water governanceParticipatory water governance

Page 9: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

Conservation EthicConservation Ethic

““All ethics…rest upon a single All ethics…rest upon a single premise that the individual is a premise that the individual is a member of a community of member of a community of interdependent parts. His instincts interdependent parts. His instincts prompt him to compete…but his prompt him to compete…but his ethics prompt him also to co-ethics prompt him also to co-operate….The land ethic simply operate….The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.”the land.”

- Aldo Leopold, - Aldo Leopold, The Land EthicThe Land Ethic, 1949, 1949

Page 10: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

5. Emerging Ethical Concepts5. Emerging Ethical Concepts

Rights of Water Ecosystems Rights of Water Ecosystems Environmental flow, Room for RiversEnvironmental flow, Room for Rivers

Multifunctional values of Ag. WaterMultifunctional values of Ag. Water Ecosystem, social, cultural benefitsEcosystem, social, cultural benefits

Community health and well-beingCommunity health and well-being

Industrial responsibility for net ecological gainIndustrial responsibility for net ecological gain

Indigenous cultural sovereigntyIndigenous cultural sovereignty

Participatory water governanceParticipatory water governance Basin-level and use-levelBasin-level and use-level

Page 11: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

Indigenous Peoples Water Declaration Indigenous Peoples Water Declaration (Kyoto 2003)(Kyoto 2003)

““We were placed We were placed in a sacred in a sacred manner on this manner on this earth, each in earth, each in our own sacred our own sacred and traditional and traditional lands and lands and territories to territories to care for all of care for all of creation and to creation and to care for water.”care for water.”

Page 12: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

6. From Principles to Practice6. From Principles to Practice

Broaden water governanceBroaden water governance Geographically and conceptuallyGeographically and conceptually

Reframe water educationReframe water education Include water culture and ethical principlesInclude water culture and ethical principles

Apply new water knowledgeApply new water knowledge Ecology, psychology, philosophy, anthropologyEcology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology

Experience water (directly and indirectly)Experience water (directly and indirectly) Art, recreation, urbanscape, architectureArt, recreation, urbanscape, architecture

Applied ethical analysisApplied ethical analysis Identify, analyze, assess, prescribeIdentify, analyze, assess, prescribe

Page 13: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

6b. Methods6b. Methods

Make the ethics explicit Make the ethics explicit Describe and analyzeDescribe and analyze

Case studiesCase studies

Promote ethics as a factor in water managementPromote ethics as a factor in water management

Develop toolsDevelop tools For analyzing ethicsFor analyzing ethics

For using ethics (mediation, decision-making)For using ethics (mediation, decision-making)

Facilitate a learning processFacilitate a learning process Incorporate ethics in water curriculaIncorporate ethics in water curricula

Incorporate water in ethics curriculaIncorporate water in ethics curricula

Information-sharing: Water Ethics Network (waterethics.org)Information-sharing: Water Ethics Network (waterethics.org)

Page 14: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013
Page 15: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

7. Water Ethics Charter7. Water Ethics Charter

Why? Provide an additional reason for social Why? Provide an additional reason for social responsibiltyresponsibilty

What? Explicit principles (Charter)What? Explicit principles (Charter)

Who? Diverse water stakeholdersWho? Diverse water stakeholders

How? Entities will endorse the CharterHow? Entities will endorse the Charter

When? World Water Forum, March 2015When? World Water Forum, March 2015

Page 16: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013
Page 17: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

To Get Involved…To Get Involved…

Water Ethics Network: Water Ethics Network:

http://WaterEthics.org

Water Ethics Charter: Water Ethics Charter:

www.waterculture.org/initiatives

Page 18: A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013

Thank-you !Thank-you !www.waterculture.org