Background: Two-thirds of the world's population will face water shortages by 2025. The World Water Forum, held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 16 to 22 March, gathers more than 25,000 experts to find sustainable solutions to the water challenges the world faces. IUCN urges policy-makers at the forum to do more to protect the natural environment and make better use of the services nature offers for development and human security. Rivers and wetlands deliver vital services for people, such as clean drinking water, energy and healthy and sustainable livelihoods. Investing in good water governance is critical for a sustainable water future, both for countries themselves and the 260 river basins that cross borders.
Key Issues:
· Water is at the centre of climate change. “Climate change will be felt first and foremost through water, whether it be drought, floods, storms, ice melting or sea-level rise,” says Mark Smith, Head of IUCN’s Water Programme. “Intact and well-functioning river basins and coasts can help people cope with the impacts of climate change. They provide water storage, flood control and coastal defences. Investment in nature should be integral to policies aimed at adapting to climate change.”
· Healthy rivers reduce poverty. “To reduce poverty sustainably we must ensure there is enough water to meet many needs, including households, agriculture, industry, power generation and the environment,” says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General. “This means we have to find a way to allocate water to different users while staying in the limits of what’s available. Helping such negotiations is a key part of IUCN’s work.”
· A global water crisis is on the way. “Pressure on water resources is increasing rapidly as world population grows, ecosystems decline and consumption patterns change,” says Mark Smith, Head of IUCN’s Water Programme. “In many regions, water scarcity and pollution are increasingly putting human well-being at risk. We have to organise ourselves to use water more sustainably. We need systems for governing water based on a balance of policy, good water law and participatory institutions.”
For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:
· Sarah Horsley, IUCN Media Relations, m 41 79 528 3486, e sarah.horsley@iucn.org
· Brian Thomson, IUCN Media Relations, m 41 79 721 8326, e brian.thomson@iucn.org
· Claire Warmenbol, IUCN Water Programme, m 41 79 404 1973, e claire.warmenbol@iucn.org
Spokespeople:
· Mark Smith, Head of IUCN Water Programme, e mark.smith@iucn.org
· Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General, e jml@iucn.org
Press Material and Events
· Daily Media Brief – sent to registered press 16-22 March
· Press briefing on IUCN publication Rule, 10:00-10:30, Tuesday 17 March
· Press briefing on IUCN publication Share, 10:00-10:30, Wednesday 18 March
· Press briefing on IUCN Red List and Freshwater Species, 10:00-10:30, Thursday 19 March
· Press Drinks Reception 19:00-20:00, Thursday 19 March
· Photo Opportunity throughout the week at the IUCN stand
· Press Briefing on Climate Change and Water, time TBC, Friday 20 March
· Closing Statement, Sunday 22 March
Photos/Audio/Video material are available at/from: www.iucn.org/waterforum
IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges by supporting scientific research; managing field projects all over the world; and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN, international conventions and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice.
http://www.iucn.org/