“WATER, SPRING OF LIFE”XV ENCONTRO INTERACIONAL DE XÓVENES CIENTISTAS

SANTARÉM

WATER AND ETHICS

WHY WE DECIDE TO JOIN WATER AND ETHICS?

We start with three main ideas:

1. Water, spring of life.

2. Water is a rare resource.

3. Acces to drinkdable water is a basic human right.

We find a series of data showing a worrying reality because of mismanagement, limited

resources and environmental changes.

Two out of ten people in the

world lake of safesource of

drinkable water

Millions of people, mainly children,

die every year fordiseases related

with the supply of water, its

purification and lack of hygiene.

Natural disastersrelated to water

bring about manyconsequences in

human beings life.

The waterconditions have

influence on foodand food safety.

90 % of Africanwomen pick up

water, transport itand organize theuse of water for

different purposesin daily life.

There are currently more

than 640 conflictsrelated to the

control of waterresources.

Pay attention to thesedata, please

Follow the trend in the year 2050 half of the world's population will not have water for

their basic needs.

The United Nations declared the “Decade for Action: Water, spring of life” with the aim of achieving a

sustainable management and long-term water resources, the reality is that in today's world there is a strong

imbalance and that it is the reason why we must talk about ETHICS in the use of water as one of the areas of

environmental ethics which it is a key element to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable

development.

Economic and/or social problems related to water have much to see with a poor management caused by

human behaviour. This is why we conclude that it is an ethical problem.

The ethical dimension in the management of water will be achieved incorporating the daily management the

equity, effective and democratic participation, communication, knowledge, transparency and the ability

to respond to needs that occur in the sector.

All the inhabitants of the planet are entitled the right to the water for their basic needs and will therefore be States and International Institutions the guarantours of

that right which will democratize management and achieve the desired balance among the economic,

social and environmental aspects of water.

DISPONIBLIDADE DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS NO MUNDO

The water is so important to the life and development of the society that certain aspects of its management

should be regulated by the States:

The formulation of water policy Resource assessment, Planning and administration, The allocation of rights of use

and disposal, The allocation of economic

resources, The issuing of regulations, Its preservation and control.

Opposition to the State regularmentation is given by the growing interest for selling water already called

“THE BLUE GOLD”.

The growing need of the hydrological balance that will ensure sufficient water for the population supply will be

achieved harmonizing natural availability with extractions of resources through an efficient use of

water.

All the inhabitants of the Earth are entitled to access to the use of water for their basic needs of beverage, food,

health and development.

The promotion by the State of the equity principle will be manifested through:

Ensure basic services of waterand sanitation to the rural and urban population.

Allocate water resources toprojects of social interest.

Promote water-saving

Water is very important and there are a lot of problems related to it, so it is necessary the waterbecomes a main subject in international diaries.

Water is essential for life, for health, for human welfare and for the protection of the enviroment.

We want to finish with a phrase from Albert Szent-Gyorgyi that summarizes the idea "There is no life

without water"

NATALIA MARTÍNEZ and SANDRA PEREIRA IES “LUÍS SEOANE” - PONTEVEDRA