The Tap's Still Running

Three months ago I began my journey into looking at a range of issues associated with exploring the impacts Climate Change is having on water. I believed that the war we were facing was a battle for resources among communities across the world and the environmental, social and political impacts this created. Having reached the end of my journey, the war runs much deeper than that.

This is not just a battle for land occupation or for fresh water supplies. This is not just a conflict over gender equality, basic human sanitation or the right to an education. This war is based on the fact that the issue of water security is not being addressed on the intergovernmental scale that it needs to be.

I remained optimistic throughout this blog that change was around the corner. I believed that we had made great progress with the Sustainable Development Goals, and that we were on track to dealing with such a prominent issue at risk of affecting us all. Although disheartened, I will forever remain a “prisoner of hope”. But in order for this battle to be won, the goal posts must be changed. It is vital that we hold governments accountable for the promises they have made at the recent climate summit, and that we never stop pressing for the basic human right we all deserve.

Although addressing water issues has come a long since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals, we must continue the fight to ensure everyone, everywhere is water secure. 

COP21

Since it is the beginning of the New Year, I thought I would recap on the last and summarise a very important event that 2015 will no doubt be remembered for. COP21.

The world signed its first legally binding universal deal to tackle Climate Change by committing to keep global temperature rise below 2°C! Hurrah! Whilst this deal is a huge step in the right direction to ensuring climate justice, alarm bells rung when I glanced over the final adopted text... there was no mention of water.

Looking back, it seems ironic that the very inspiration for this blog is fundamentally being ignored on the biggest scale of all. If I’m honest, I was surprised. After a fantastic year for water with the adoption of Goal 6 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, I remained optimistic that Paris would address a range of issues on freshwater resources and their management. The IPCC report (2013) summarised that semi-arid and arid areas were in particular danger as there was high confidence that their water resources would suffer. This, coupled with the high confidence that groundwater recharge is decreasing, will leave these regions under great water-stress. In addition, with rising populations putting greater pressures on the fight for resources, these countries are the ones that will feel the full effects of Climate Change the most. 

With such great confidence on the impacts Climate Change is having on water resources, I find myself asking why we haven’t taken the management steps on a global scale to address these issues. Whilst COP21 may have been deemed a success and the first step to the end of the fossil fuel era, we are still a long way from dealing with the stresses being placed on our water resources. 

Top Down vs. Bottom Up

How does the old saying go again? “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” The importance of grassroots programmes has never been more apparent in an age where the rich and poor are growing further apart. Climate Change is having the greatest social, political and environmental impacts on the world’s poorest, so what is the best way of tackling these issues? Are grassroots enough to get the job done, and ultimately avoid conflict?

Grassroots programmes offer the opportunity to make a difference in areas which otherwise may receive no attention. Take Africa for example. This region of the world has done the least to contribute to climate change, however will be impacted the greatest (APP, 2015). It is therefore vital that programmes such as the Village Water Project are set up. 17 successful wells have been built from 2009 to 2014; providing nearly 4,000 people with clean, disease-free water. However, it is more than just water for these people. Communities are encouraged to work together to develop in a sustainable way, empowering them and giving them the means to fend for themselves. There are many benefits of this on women, as discussed in my previous post, as well as agricultural benefits and additionally reducing potential conflict over water boundaries. 

Both Kisilu and Sawadogo are great examples of how an individual can make a difference through community action. However, what is the likelihood of these projects succeeding on such a small scale? How necessary is the intervention from big co-operations? With the Global Goals having such a focus on Climate Change and WASH this year, the answer is pretty obvious. At the end of the day it is global policy and decision-makers which are in the driving seat to carry these through and make 'real' change in the world; the kind of change that is going to make a global difference in combating climate action. However, let us not discourage the efforts of such grassroots projects. Great change has to begin somewhere. 

"Water is at the heart of Climate Change"

Climate is Water COP21 from Arup Visual Communications on Vimeo.

A concise summary video from Arup outlining why water is so important when it comes to climate agreements.