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The Drama of Water

Although transboundary water cooperation is an important called for the promotion “of peaceful and inclusive societies for
element in the efforts to address the global problem of water sustainable development, and to provide access to justice for
and peace effectively, it can only tackle a small part of it. Other all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at
water problems that can potentially threaten national, regional all levels.”
and international security and peace must also be identified.
The international community is aware of the serious disruptions The drama of water is a problem of governance.
caused by climate change and of their impact on States, regions
and populations, such as mass migration and rapid, uncontrolled It is not difficult to establish connections between policies
urbanization, and the ways to cope with these challenges. inspired by Goals 6.5 and 16 in a comprehensive implementation
These are the early ways to adapt to climate change, and are all process of the Sustainable Development Goals. The concept
strongly linked to water. Adaptation represents a key pillar of the of water security is of key importance in this context. In a 2013
requirement to build climate-resilient societies. analytical brief “Water Security & the Global Water Agenda,” UN
Water defined water security as “the capacity of a population
Water issues are a global development problem and need to be to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of
approached in a comprehensive manner. Water was seen as an acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human
economic development issue in the past, with the environmental well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring
dimension added later. In 2010, the UN recognized the human protection against water-borne pollution and water-related
rights dimension of water (A/RES/64/292), with the security disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace
aspect being acknowledged most recently. The thematic debate and political stability.” (Italics added)
on water, security and peace held by the UN Security Council
on 22 November 2016 (S/PV.7818) was a clear example of the Water security highlights the centrality of water in achieving
recognition of the security aspect of the water problem. a larger sense of security and sustainability of societies. Many
factors outside the water realm contribute to water security,
An important phase in this evolution was the adoption of the ranging from biophysical, infrastructural to institutional,
Sustainable Development Goals by the UN General Assembly political, social and financial. Water security lies at the center of
in 2015 (A/RES/70/1). Of the 17 major goals, water issues are many security areas, each of which is intricately linked to water.
contained in goal 6 with several other goals also referring to
water. Water issues are considered an important priority and As the High-Level Expert Group of the Inter-Action Council
are addressed in a manner cognizant of the nexus between emphasized in its report in 2016, water is at the center of the
water and peace. Goal 6.5 calls for implementation by 2030, of nexus of energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity. The crises
Integrated Water Resources Management at all levels, including the planet faces are overlapping and intersecting, and we cannot
through transboundary cooperation, as appropriate. Goal 16 afford to address them one by one in isolation. But by following

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