Skip to main content
TitleA developing crisis
Publication TypeBook
Year of Publication1995
AuthorsNetherlands. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment -NL, VROM, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, The Hague, NL
Secondary TitleWater and sanitation for all : a world priority
Volumeno. 1
Series VolumeVROM 95504/h/11-95 ; 14509/176
Paginationxi, 18 p.: 5 photogr.
Date Published1995-01-01
PublisherNetherlands, Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment
Place PublishedThe Hague, The Netherlands
Keywordscab96/1, cost recovery, development agencies, government organizations, planning, policies, safe water supply, sanitation, sustainable development, unced, water shortage, water use
Abstract

This booklet is the first in a series of 3 publications resulting from the Ministerial Conference on Drinking Water and Environmental Sanitation. Based on the paper, "Putting Agenda 21 to Work", presented at the conference, it seeks to bring home the urgency of the conference's call for action, the validity of the new approaches proposed, and the scale of the potential benefits if prompt and concerted action is taken. It outlines the main problems of pollution, waste and mismanagement of water and emphasizes the necessity of promoting sanitation along with efforts to provide clean water, and of involving women in the planning and upkeep of water and sanitation projects. It also stresses that water supply and sanitation problems are political and educational as well as technical, especially in health and hygiene issues. Since 70% of water used per day throughout the world is for irrigated agriculture, improved irrigation efficiency is advocated. The booklet stresses five main points for government attention: fresh water is a finite, vulnerable and endangered resource; access to water is an economic necessity and a human right; inadequate human sanitation is a major threat to fresh water; governments have an important role in encouraging cooperation among all concerned; and although financial resources are limited, they can be made to go further than they presently do.

Notes

Adapted version of background paper no. 1, Putting Agenda 21 to Work by Peter McIntyre. - Summaries in English, French and Spanish

Custom 1

202.3

Original PublicationMinisterial Conference on Drinking Water and Environmental Sanitation : implementing UNCED Agenda 21, March 22nd/March 23rd 1994, Noordwijk : conference report

Disclaimer

The copyright of the documents on this site remains with the original publishers. The documents may therefore not be redistributed commercially without the permission of the original publishers.

Back to
the top