The UN World Water Development Report, 20020 is an annual and thematic analysis of freshwater resources in the world. It is formulated by the joint efforts of UNESCO’s Water Assessment Program and UN-Water, where the former compiles the findings while the latter publishes it. United Nations Water (UN-Water) is a framework that works with over 30 UN agencies to come together and contemplate solutions for the issues orbiting water.
The United Nations has once again provided a guiding ray of light to the policymakers by issuing their annual and thematic report focusing on the key water issues, the danger it entails and proposing the way forward in a sustainable manner. In this article, we must present you the key highlights of the report to grab your attention to the issue of depleting water resources that can turn into a worldwide crisis if not dealt with responsibly and immediately. Climate Change to Climate Justice is a journey where humans are standing at crossroads to make the right decision. We must never ignore the ethical dimension to the problem of climate justice that the future is of the next generation and we must not make irreversible damage to the climate, otherwise we would be guilty of sins for which there is no forgiveness. We are accountable to the future generation and we must keep this in mind while making our decisions.
HUMAN IMPACT ON WATER RESOURCES
“Water is the medium through which nature and human societies experience most of the impacts of climate change. Sustainable water management is a basic aspect of the answer to environmental change.”
The day by day increasing population, economic development, shifting consumption patterns, and global warming will most likely aggravate the situation of currently water-stressed regions. This will then cause a shift in the seasonal cycles. Moreover, the pollutants used and the increase in the GreenHouse Gases has also polluted the water which has caused grave problems to marine life. There is a severe threat to the coastal population and small islands due to the rising sea levels, this because global warming can lead to a rise in the sea level. The 2020 report predicts a rise in the substantial area of drylands and a decline in the area of mountain water resources to rapid melting of glaciers. This gives a broad overview of how humans have impacted water resources.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER
There is a close relationship between climate and the hydrologic cycle. This close bond between these processes, which are not all fully understood or measurable at relevant scales, make quantification and prediction of the consequences very difficult which in turn poses a grave danger as proper protectionary measures cannot be taken. The SDG 13 calls for action in relation to climate change, there is a deep correlation between the two as water is an intrinsic element involved in the cycle of climate change. There are various dimensions we must analyse with respect to climate change and water in order to understand the depth of this issue:
• Water availability and stress
Due to increasing global warming, there is a rise in the temperature which in turn brings changes that cause evaporation from the land surface. This in turn can increase by an increase in precipitation and hence lead to a decrease in water availability. As per the report: Decreases have already been observed in rivers in western Africa (Batisha, 2012), southwestern Australia (Australian Academy of Science, 2019), the Yellow River basin in China (Piao et al., 2010) and the Pacific Northwest of the United States of America (USA) (Kalra et al., 2008). The impact of this decrease can directly impact the soil moisture and can in turn spellbound people by drought.
Water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population increase in the last century (FAO, 2013a). About 4 billion people live under conditions of severe physical water scarcity for at least one month per year. Around 1.6 billion people, or almost a quarter of the world’s population, face economic water shortage, which means they lack the necessary infrastructure to access water (UN-Water, 2014). These are statistics which have emerged due to the excessive use of resources, emitting Greenhouse gasses and making bad environmental choices in the name of progress.
• Water quality
The harsh reality is that the amount of freshwater is depleting rapidly due to the use of pollutants. The cause of this can be traced to the industrial waste being discharged in the water bodies, reduction in the process of river dilution capacity, throwing waste in water bodies and a plethora of other reasons. The increasing use of pollutants have destroyed the ecosystems that can pose serious health issues, For example, in China, more than 60% of the lakes suffer from eutrophication and HABs (Shao et al., 2014). Eutrophication is a process by which man-made nutrients are released in water bodies which further forms algal blooms and causes great harm to marine life.
The consequences of water quality are not one that is limited to human beings. It directly affects the sustainability of the environment and the biodiversity at large.
• Small scale islands and Risk sensitive areas
There is a severe threat to the Coastal population and small islands due to the rising sea levels. A smaller sea-level rise could mean that up to 10.4 million fewer people (based on the 2010 global population and assuming no adaptation) would be exposed to the impacts of sea-level rise globally in 2100 at 1.5°C compared to at 2°C(IPCC). The coastal cities such as Alexandria, Ho Chi Minh City, Basra and Shanghai are among the most vulnerable and large portions of Mumbai and Kolkata will be fully submerged by 2050 if this trend continues. In Bangladesh, only 42 million people can be affected by this. The small scale islands are at deep risk due to this and are at risk to be submerged.
INTERNATIONAL POLICY FRAMEWORK
The 2030 agenda of the Sustainable development goals highlights the crucial aspect that we need to achieve. However, when we see the structure of these goals, SDG6 is clean water and sanitation for all and SDG 13 is about climate action. However, one must realise that water plays a key invisible role as an interconnector to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. At the international platform, the most relevant role played towards climate change is that of the Paris Agreement.
• Analysis of the Paris Agreement
While ‘water’ essential is not at the core of Paris agreement one cannot deny that water is essential to adaptation and mitigation strategies, the same trend is reflected through the nationally determined contributions.
The mechanism adopted under Paris agreement involves the submission of Nationally Determined Contribution by every country and the target of reduction must be specified in that. There are flaws in the system of the Paris Agreement that must be addressed here.
There are some fundamental questions that must be raised here: i) Are these NDCs enough to limit the GreenHouse Emissions as mentioned in Article2(1)(a) of the Paris Agreement? ii) Is there any bar as to how low these targets can be set? iii) Are there consequences of not attaining the NDCs set by them?
First, there is no formal collective standard or mechanism to compare whether all NDCs combined(if every country achieves them), they are able to fulfil their obligation under Article(2)(1)(a). The absence correlation between the strategy drafted and the object sought is a fundamental failure of the mechanism.
Secondly, The NDCs set by the states are not regulated in any manner, they can be set as per the needs of the countries. This is why the NDCs target can be set low and its completion can be advertised. For instance, Russia achieved its NDC by a margin of 15 per cent, this goes to show that terming NDC’s as ‘targets’ to be achieved is a fallacy and a fundamental flaw of the Paris Agreement.
Third, only the submission of NDCs are binding in nature and non-completion of the targets has no consequences. Even if a country sets weak targets that can be easily achieved and do not achieve them, there is nothing that can be done about it.
Lastly, the USA being the second-largest global emitter has withdrawn the Paris Agreement. Hence, this idea of collective efforts is out of the picture unless the USA joins back. The political turbulence caused will shift the dynamics of the Paris Agreement even further.
SOLUTIONS PROPOSED
The UN World Water Development Report 2020 proposes some viable options that nations must try to implement to move towards a sustainable approach. These solutions are practical and must be embedded in policy formulation.
• Safe water reuse
This is an effective technique that requires one to shift from untreated wastewater usage to safe water usage. When we use untreated wastewater a huge number of health problems can be caused to humans and the environment due to the presence of the harmful pollutants in water. Water use is crucial as a practice in agriculture and India has been using this to fight against extreme climate events. Even in Namibia, this practice is followed for a good 50 years.
• Seawater and brackish water desalination
Desalination is a method to separate dissolved salts from the saltwater in order to use it as freshwater. This practice is operational in 16000 desalination plants globally generating around 95 million m³/day. However, one must always consider that this may not be a feasible solution to poor countries due to its cost. There is an unlimited supply of saltwater and given the nature of this solution, the future water supply can significantly improve through this.
• Water Financing
The current financing schemes are not enough to reach the goals as mentioned in SDG 6. We must look for the various financing schemes and policies that are in place. When we look at the international forum for financing, recourse can be taken to 3 multilateral organisations:
1) The Green Climate Fund(established as a financing mechanism of the Paris Agreement)
2) The Global Environment Facility(serves as the financial mechanism for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
3) The Adaptation Fund(set up under the Kyoto Protocol)
While these are mechanisms set up at a multilateral level, recourse can be taken to bilateral climate funds such as the Amazon Fund, the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund. Other finances mechanisms can also be utilised like private funding.
• Advanced sensor technologies
Data collection is one of the most crucial approaches in prediction mechanisms. The smart water management is run by real-time managing and monitoring mechanism wherein water consumption is assessed. The wide use of this water metering technique can be traced to Alicante, Spain where such technique has contributed towards the fulfilment of the city’s sustainable management objectives. In addition to that, it can be beneficial in ensuring wastewater treatment and for information as to chemical leaks or any pollution spills for which immediate action can be taken.
WHERE DOES INDIA STAND IN IT?
A plethora of points can be inferred from the report that shapes an image of India’s water framework.
A lot of portions of land that are used for crops like wheat, soybean, rice, and maize will be under permanent wetter conditions because of climate change. The Global Drought Severity Index, 2017further indicates how southern parts of India could be badly affected by droughts. Further, the construction of several coastal reservoirs in China has advanced its way to India as well, for several options are being explored in India as well. With China facing problems like a saltwater interruption, residue collection, and biological system lopsided characteristics, the worries are articulated in India as well. Groundwater is in peril and India as of now experiences over-deliberation of groundwater assets, which has brought about a serious dropping of the water tables. Further, environmental change is expected to make it worse.
To sum up, the dispersion of water-related calamities like droughts, floods, landslides and storms between 2001–2018 depicts India to be among the worst affected regions. Dependence on the monsoon further adds up to it. In August 2017, intense monsoon rainfall affected more than 40 million people in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Not only this, but environmental change is likewise expected to be a hazard to various business sectors of energy and utilities, manufacturing and consumer goods, mining and industrial methods and food and beverage. For instance, in 2013 water shortages caused shutdowns in 14 of India’s 20 largest thermal utilities, costing the companies US$1.4 billion. Similarly, in 2012, a delayed monsoon raised electricity demand for pumping groundwater for irrigation and reduced hydropower generation, adding to power outages enduring two days.
Water scarcity is a significant worry for India, the transboundary waterways and water-sharing agreements have seen circumstances getting stressed before in the past. The 2016 report shows that factors like low literacy rates, high dependency ratios, and weak housing structures make individuals greatly affected by droughts in rural India, whereas factors like access to social networks, water and sanitation, health, and education play an important role in reducing such vulnerability. Thus, the impetus is more on the socially, economically and geographically disadvantaged sections of India. In such conditions, needs should be recognized and arrangements ought to be dealt with in a manner.
SCHEMES REGARDING WATER RESOURCES IN INDIA
The Ministry of Jal Shakti was framed in 2019 by combining the two services of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and that of Drinking Water and Sanitation. This progression in itself features the earnestness with which water difficulties are being arranged. For that, there are various schemes and developments which display India’s efforts to contain water stress.
Beginning up with the last, National Aquifer Mapping and Management program which is being implemented visualizing the mapping of aquifers, their portrayal and improvement of the board intend to encourage the sustainable management of the groundwater resources.
National Hydrology Project is another such project that has been endorsed by the cabinet. It intends to build up a National Water informatics Centre as a repository of nation-wide water resources data. The goal is to make accessible water-related information, decisions on them, any analysis or target plans to fortify the overall management.
The National Water Mission was launched to tackle the threats of global warming. It accentuates on the preservation of water and limiting wastage. It further also ensures the equitable distribution of water by the method of integrated water resources. The significant objectives of this mission incorporate dealing with climate change effectively, providing a comprehensive database and generating a collective conscience for water conservation is another. Focusing on the vulnerable areas and aiming to increase the water use efficiency by 20% is another goal of this mission.
Further, the government of India is also working towards establishing a body called National Interlinking of Rivers Authority. It aims to implement projects for connecting streams i.e. both inter-state and intra-state. Additionally, the National River Linking Project envisions to ease water shortages through inter-basin projects. This will be done by transferring water from surplus basins to the deficit ones.
These are some of the prominent schemes in India. There are a lot of others like the Atal Bhujal Yojana, National Mission for Clean Ganga etc. The groundwater concern in India is a major concern and further diligent efforts are being made to raise the levels of the groundwater. The promotion of innovative water management techniques is another issue along with catering to the needs of the vulnerable groups.
CONCLUSION
Climate change doesn’t only create challenges but also opens doors for opportunities as well. It in this way can be a catalyst in improving governance, finance, further making the world a sustainable home. Even the proportions of adaptation and mitigation lay upon the possibility to tap the undiscovered, bringing about an improved water management system.
However, this ought not to promote a hard-headed attitude. The current state of affairs should be a major concern for each and every individual. The lead editor of the report, Connor, says, “Everybody wants water to come into their home. But once they flush it, they don’t care. It disappears, it’s not their problem anymore.” This is the attitude that needs to change.
Climate change is an emerging issue and the international frameworks are inadequate in dealing with the current goals. There is a need for increasing cooperation between nations and to launch joint cooperation missions for the cause of climate change as this is a global issue which needs a strong global response. In the social sphere, nations are faced with the choice to support voiceless animals and species and they must turn a blind eye to them.