World Water Day 2020: Climate Change and Water

The United Nations is celebrating World Water Day, every year since 1993 on 22^nd of March. This resolution is linked to United Nations Conference on Environment and Development that took place in 1992 in Rio de Janerio, to which Pakistan was also a signatory. Another event was “International Year of Cooperation in the Water Sphere’, which was declared by UN for the whole year of 2013 and current, ongoing decade for ‘Action on Water for Sustainable Development’, observed from the year 2018 to 2028.

The theme for World Water Day, 2020 is ‘Water and Climate Change’. The UN observation of World Water Day is also one of the Sustainable Development Goal. SDG#6 calls for ‘Clean Water and Sanitation for all by 2030”. Almost 90% of natural disasters, for example drought, floods, food scarcity, wildfires and pollution are a direct correlation to mismanagement of ground and freshwater resources. This year the developed countries are calling for scalable, sustainable and affordable solutions to water related issues.

An estimate by Food and Agriculture Organization proved that Pakistan’s freshwater withdrawal was 118% more when compared to 7 countries of the same region, three of which were ‘Bangladesh, India and Iran’. The Ministry of Water Resources in its publication titled ‘National Water Policy, 2018’ highlighted the despairing reality of water mismanagement by authorities and public alike.

The projection for future resources showed that per capita water availability is likely to decline from 1000 cubic meters to 860 cubic meters by 2025, which will result in Pakistan’s transition from Water Stressed to Water Scarce Country. This clearly proves that Pakistan is in a wretched state and needs urgent and strict interventions by all provincial governments in Pakistan, not to mention the recent cases of water theft in Karachi, Sindh as uncovered by Water and Sewage Board, Karachi on 3^rd of March, 2020.

The above listed situation sounds hopeless but as individual citizens, we can urge the Government of Pakistan to be more responsible and transparent in its’ policies towards water management and request provinces to develop documentation that leads to ease of coordination and implementation of water mismanagement issues. As citizens, here are 3 points which we can earnestly request our Government to act upon.

• Consider Water as Part of solution: An example would be ‘Floating Gardens’ as developed by Bangladesh to the flood problem. Instead of facing acute food shortage, the Government came up with this innovative solution. Now people can grow vegetables, fruits and herbs on these floating gardens.
• Ensure transboundary cooperation: Although Indus Water Treaty in 1965 distributed water channels effectively between India and Pakistan, another water accord is still the hour of need between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as emphasized by National Climate Change Policy, 2012.
• Rethink finances: The Government of Pakistan could launch schemes that promote blue bonds. Blue bonds helps to raise capital from investors to finance ocean and marine based projects which have a positive economic, social and environmental effect. Blue bonds will not just ensure availability of indigenous fishes but also clean fresh and ocean water for recreational purpose.

As citizens, we can reduce our water consumption by turning off the tap when not needed, showering only for a few minutes, planting trees that use less water per capita and being responsible in general for our consumption patterns. Let’s pray and hope that Pakistan will be ‘Water Sufficient’ in upcoming years and not ‘Water Scarce’.

 

by: Noor Al Ain

Tags: World Water Day 2020

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