The Glass is Half Full

Looking back over the last 15 years, how realistic is the new Sustainable Development Goal on water and sanitation? 

Source: The 17 SDGs adopted by 193 nations

It is interesting to observe how much things have changed in 15 years. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the beginning of the century incorporated targets for Water, Hygiene and Sanitation under the heading ‘Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability’, out of a total of 8 goals. This year, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been established with Goal 6 dedicated to ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. With more goals to focus on, will this hinder the ability to achieve them? Or does specific focus allow for more issues to be addressed?

In terms of water, the MDG set in 2000 was very much a success on the surface. The aim to reduce the proportion of people without access to an improved drinking water source, by 50%, was achieved 5 years ahead of schedule, according to a report published by the UN in 2014. However this only focused on drinking water and sanitation, and a number of additional issues were not targeted. With Climate Change shifting the way we view our resources, it is vital that all aspects of the water cycle are taken into consideration in order to achieve the aim to “leave no-one behind”.  

This year, the SDG for water and sanitation will now include the sustainable management of water, wastewater and ecosystem resources. Six additional targets have been incorporated within this goal which I believe is a step in the right direction to tackle these additional issues. We have proven that we are able to hit targets, so why stop there? With greater international involvement, including middle/low-income countries, these SDGs are the most universal yet. They take into consideration basic human rights standards across the board, with a number of the goals having cross-disciplinary implications.

With these goals expecting to shape political policy across 193 countries, a greater range of goals might seem unachievable to many. However I remain optimistic. We are finally addressing a number of water management issues which 15 years ago were swept under the carpet.

What does 'Water Security' mean?

Source: inkcinct cartoons 

The United Nations (2013) defines water security as “the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability”.

It seems to me that everyone, everywhere should have sustainable and adequate access to a water supply however in the world we live in this is not always the case. It was not until 2010 that Vörösmarty et.al produced the first worldwide synthesis to consider both the human and biodiversity perspectives towards water security. The article concluded that 80% of the world’s population was exposed to high levels of threat to water security; this figure included both developed and developing countries. 

This means that 4.8 billion people (from the data taken in 2000) do not have sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water. 4.8 billion people are unable to sustain their livelihoods and human well-being, and additionally are subject to water-related disasters. If I’m honest, I was a little surprised by this.

Water security comes in many forms and it is not just those in remote parts of the world that appear to be suffering. The impacts on biodiversity can be greatest in developed areas, especially along river catchments. Vörösmarty et.al (2010) suggests that in order to protect these areas, developed countries must look into re-engineering existing structures. There is a socio-economic message that is also concluded in this article which developing countries are able to take away. In order to avoid the high costs that these heavily engineered water development systems have created in developed nations, a few less extensive options such as preserving river floodplains could be extremely beneficial.

With anthropogenic climate change set to further increase this level of threat, it will be down to major environmental policy and/or financial commitment from both developed and developing countries, to ensure they remain water secure and threats to biodiversity are minimized.

KISILU: The Climate Diaries

An upcoming documentary about a family at the frontline of Climate Change.

Source: Kisilu Filming

Yesterday I attended a screening of the new Al Jazeera Witness documentary about how climate change is affecting a farming family in Mutomo, Kenya. The Kenyan farmer, Kisilu Musya, documents both physical and human challenges which he and his family have been facing over four years. Footage of devastating droughts, floods and storms have had massive human impacts on his family and the community in Mutomo.

Yet it comes as no surprise to me that such weather events had the impacts they did. Maybe this is because I have been studying in this field for a long time now and such impacts are known to me. However this documentary captured something more powerful than just a diary about climate change. It is a story of persistence and the refusal to give up when everything around him comes crashing down.

“I don’t have money to help, but I have the knowledge”

A story of a man who spends his life teaching others about how to combat climate change is not only inspiring for others in his community but its message can be spread worldwide. Sure, having money to tackle some of the day-to-day issues would be beneficial (the irrigation system set up towards the end of the documentary showed this), yet the knowledge and ambition Kisilu has is invaluable.

Without giving too much away, I would strongly recommend watching this documentary when it airs in December. The release coincides with the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, which Kisilu has since been invited to.