Climate change: four billion people threatened by water shortages if world leaders stumble at 2010’s first hurdle, Oxfam says

World leaders are set to fail their first test on climate change since Copenhagen and put the world on track for almost four degrees of warming, said Oxfam International, ahead of the 31 January 2010 deadline for countries to submit emission reduction targets under the Copenhagen Accord.

Despite agreeing that temperatures should be kept from rising above the two-degree danger level at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen, world leaders are so far failing to provide adequate emissions cuts targets, according to Oxfam. The European Union, Japan and Australia have already put their plans on the table, none of which improve on the offers they made before Copenhagen.

Rich countries pledges on emissions cuts are expected to total just 12-18 per cent below 1990 levels – less than half of the 40 per cent cuts needed from rich countries to keep temperatures in check.

The pledges expected under the Accord will, according to climate models, lead to a nearly four degree centigrade rise in global temperature by 2100. Scientists predict this will create a world crippled by drought with four billion people affected by water shortages across the globe, year round droughts in Southern Africa and serious droughts in Europe every ten years instead of every one hundred years.

Oxfam says the Accord proves that the bottom up approach, where countries set their own emission reduction targets, will not deliver the cuts that are needed. The international agency is calling for a global target for emissions reductions based on the science and for national contributions to the global target to be calculated according to a country’s historical responsibility for creating the climate crisis and their economic capability for tackling it. This would, for example, mean Europe should cut its emissions by at least 44% percent below 1990 levels by 2020, as opposed to its current target of just 20 per cent.

To deliver their fair share of global effort to tackle climate change, rich countries should also provide $200 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries adapt and reduce their own emissions. The Accord aims to raise just $100bn a year and progress hangs on the establishment of a High Level Panel to recommend how the money will be raised and delivered.

The Accord also promises $30 bn in fast track finance – emergency funds to help the poorest and most vulnerable countries cope with climate impacts over the next three years. For example Bangladesh, one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change, needs an estimated $1.5m, to provide drinking water to coastal communities whose traditional water sources have been contaminated with salt water due to sea level rise.

“The lackluster response [of world leaders] shows the Accord isn’t solving anything. Only a UN deal can deliver the global emissions reductions that are needed and ensure the voices of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries are heard”, said Antonio Hill, Climate Advisor for Oxfam International. “Real negotiations must restart now. Every year we delay an estimated 150,000 people will have died and a further one million displaced as a result of climate change.”

Oxfam has launched a climate change petition

See the latest outline of country pledges on emissions reductions.

Oxfam’s analysis of how global emissions reductions should be shared across countries: Hang Together or Separately

Climate models include climate interactive www.climateinteractive.org and climate action tracker www.climateactiontracker.org. Climate impacts statistics are from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007 and Stern Review 2006.

Source: Oxfam, 29 Jan 2010

Climate change: no water in Copenhagen talks

In the last two years, the conclusion among decision-makers has been that the only way to solve the climate crisis is to turn carbon into a commodity and privatise the atmosphere.

Similar market-based solutions will be used to “solve” the growing water crisis, warned experts at the Klimaforum09, a parallel meeting a few kilometres away from the official 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held Dec. 7-18 in Copenhagen.

Adriana Marquisio and Maude Barlow at the Klimaforum09. Photo:Stephen Leahy/IPS

“Corporations do not want regulations and have convinced governments that they can deliver continued economic growth and save the planet,” said Maude Barlow, chair of the Council of Canadians, the largest citizens group in Canada and author of several books about water issues.

“It shows the power of the corporate lobby that nearly everyone, including many big NGOs, all see the market as the solution to climate change,” Barlow told Tierramérica.

Meanwhile, the climate justice movement is fighting against carbon trading and carbon offsets and advocating for real emissions cuts, while recognising that the commons – air and water – are a public trust, she said.

“I’ve spent five days in the Bella Centre (the site of the official COP15 negotiations) and the real issues around water and land are being ignored,” said Adriana Marquisio, vice president of FFOSE, the union of employees of Uruguay’s public water agency. “The little countries who are suffering real impacts (of climate change) are trying to bring attention to this,” Marquisio told Tierramérica.

Both Uruguay and Bolivia have pushed hard to broaden the vision on this issue, but the United States is dominating the talks with its agenda of corporate interests, she said.

In 2004, Uruguay approved a reform that gave constitutional priority to the right to water, and banned its privatisation. Other countries are considering similar measures.

To properly address vital issues dealing with water and climate, “we can’t be talking about profits,” she said.

“Why should we have to defend water or air as a commons?” wondered Italian expert Riccardo Petrella, founder of the International Committee for the World Water Contract and a member of the World Political Forum’s Scientific Committee.

“If water or air are turned into commodities, that is equivalent to commodifying life itself and leads to the privatisation of democracy,” Petrella said. “If we do this, it will make democracy a lie.”

The negotiations to reach an agreement for confronting climate change ignore water, biodiversity and land. It is all about energy and finance, which are the only interests of the rich countries, he says.

But water is an essential ingredient for energy production: 44 percent of freshwater in France is used by its energy sector. And the portion reaches 60 percent in some other countries, according to Petrella.

“The reality of resource depletion, including water, and the reality of two billion hungry people are peripheral in the official talks,” he said.

The central focus of climate justice is food, land and water, he explained.

Petrella and others are lobbying for a global agreement on water and a new United Nations agency to “prevent and settle international disputes on the property and use of water through common monitoring systems,” states a proposal [Memorandum for a World Water Protocol] from the World Political Forum.

Having seen the widespread distribution of mobile phones in Africa and elsewhere, some water companies believe they can do the same with bottled water so that their products become the only source of drinking water and negate the need for investing in public water infrastructure, said Barlow.

“Around the world, investors are buying up water rights and land. India and China are doing this already in Africa,” she said.

If water becomes just another commodity, in many parts of the world farmers will sell water rather than grow food because they can make more money that way, she said.

Water is also a crucial element in the manufacture of many goods: an automobile requires 400,000 litres of water to produce the steel, plastic, electronics and other components.

Oil production also uses enormous amounts of water. Petrella believes that the urgency of the water crisis is such that no country in the developing South should export products to the industrialised North that require water to produce.

It is equivalent to exporting water, he said, and “that is one of the biggest problems we have to deal with in future.”

A model for effective water protection is that of the small northeastern U.S. state of Vermont, says Barlow. Water there belongs to all the people of the state and the government oversees its distribution.

The state issues permits for water use, with first priority going to people, nature and agriculture. Industrial uses are second, and the government has the right to deny water access to companies that pollute.

Looking to the future and the potential for millions of climate refugees, Barlow believes that most of those forced to relocate will be due to lack of water.

With water excluded from the formal climate negotiations and the predominance of corporate interests, the best outcome in Copenhagen is a total failure, she said.

Petrella argues that peace, justice and democracy have never come from pricing common resources: “Commodification of carbon and privatisation of the atmosphere will cause enormous conflict and devastation.”

Source: Stephen Leahy, IPS, 17 Dec 2009

Commenting on COP-15 and the Copenhagen Accord, WaterAid commented on their web site that:

“The crucial subject of water didn’t even figure in the discussions and there were no real signs that Copenhagen’s delegates would make water adaptation strategies a priority.”

[...]

“It is clear from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that climate change will have significant impacts on water resources and access to drinking water and sanitation, but where and how these impacts will be felt is less clear. The projections for rainfall, evaporation and run-off show a high degree of variability across countries and regions. All these impacts, whether they are long-term water stress or an increased frequency of storms and flooding, will be keenly felt by those who have limited or no access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, pushing more and more into water poverty.”

“In response to this, WaterAid has developed its responses to minimise the impact.”

“The Copenhagen Accord promises to deliver $30bn of aid for developing nations over the next three years and outlines an aim of providing $100bn a year by 2020 to help poor countries cope with the impacts of climate change.”

“What remains to be seen is whether any of that aid will go towards supporting adaptation strategies to protect existing water and sanitation systems, as well as expanding access to climate-resilient water and sanitation services for all.”

Source: WaterAid, 23 Dec 2009

Countdown to Copenhagen: the water challenge

In this opinion piece, Prof. Riccardo Petrella, founder of the International Committee for the World Water Contract, adds his voice to earlier calls to include water in negotiations at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change (COP-15).  In Copenhagen the World Political Forum will submit a Memorandum for a World Water Protocol.

Prof. Petralla

TURIN (IDN) -3 December 2009. Excluding water problems as such from the negotiations of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) has been a serious historic error on the scientific, politic and social level. The same holds true for the exclusion of biodiversity.

Why an error? First of all, we don’t have to forget that the main greenhouse effect gas is steam (H2O), accounting for 75 percent of the global warming. CO2, second greenhouse effect gas by importance, contributes to it for 15 to 20 percent. But most of all it is an error because it’s not possible to discuss upon a world treaty destined to influence the future of humankind and of life on our planet, without focussing on water that is the essential and irreplaceable element for every form of life.

The mistake can be corrected, future is not finished. That’s what we ask for: to introduce water in the current negotiations. This means to enlist three goals among the priorities of the world policy for a sustainable and lasting development of next decades: the human universal right to water; the protection and safeguard of water resources of the planet as a common good, human heritage and essential to the functioning of ecosystems (prevention policies, water saving policies, fight against excessive and unjustified withdrawals…); a public world water authority (to avoid the control of the world water policies by private industrial and financial global groups) .

The inclusion of water will give many advantages. It would promote the role of world common goods at the top of the agenda of strategies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The conception behind the “still-to-be-written” new post-Kyoto treaty would be inspired by a vision of the future of life on the Earth based on solidarity and on public political responsibility, no more left only to the interests of private finance and to the mechanisms of competitive world markets. Our societies would be guided by the principles of shared world security, a greater economic justice and effective welfare for all.

On this basis, the World Political Forum will attend the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change to submit to the attention of the participants the Memorandum for a World Water Protocol which has been elaborated by the international conference «Peace with Water», held at the European Parliament, Brussels on 12-13 February 2009, and co-chaired by the WPF President Mikhail Gorbachev.

We will demand in Copenhagen:
- The inclusion of water problematic into the agenda of current negotiations on climate. The most important ongoing global negotiations on the future of humankind cannot be exclusively devoted to energy problems. To more than 3 billions people, the most critical problems are food, access to water and health. A new world treaty on climate, environment and development agenda must include water as a key item.

- The decision to initiate a multilateral UN based process for the period 2010-2012 aiming at the definition and approval of a World Protocol on Water. The international community disposes of all needed political, economic, social, scientific and technical knowledge and expertise for the approval of such a Protocol. The problem is not knowledge, nor finance, but changing priorities choices

- The recognition by the Parties of the need and urgency of a World Pact for Water, the outcome of which will be the World Protocol on Water. To this end the Conference should endorse the creation of a world-based participative instrument for cooperation in the field of water such as a ‘United Nations Water Authority’ (UNWA), the main task of which would be to prevent and settle international disputes on property and use of water through common monitoring systems and collaborative transnational management, projects and institutions.

Prof. Riccardo Petrella is founder of the International Committee for the World Water Contract, Prof. Emeritus of Globalisation at the Catholic University of Louvain and member of The World Political Forum’s Scientific Committee, Italy.

Source: Ricardo Petrella, IDN, 03 Dec 2009

Water evaporates from climate change negotiations – campaigners

Much of the talking at climate change negotiations ahead of a big gathering in Copenhagen [COP15] in December 2009 has been focusing on emissions, prompting campaigners at this week’s Barcelona meeting to point out that water is also critical to the success of any efforts to adapt to the impact of climate change.

The way that water is managed in and between countries is a vital component of future planning. Water is also crucial to many mitigation activities, including hydropower, agriculture and forestry projects.

“Let me be very clear, there is no development without water,” said Pasquale Steduto, chair of UN-Water and service chief at the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

“There is no food security without water. There is most likely also no energy security without water,” Steduto added in a statement. “Water is the primary medium through which climate change influences the earth’s ecosystems and therefore people’s livelihoods and well-being. If water is not further recognized in adaptation strategies and plans, we are making a big mistake.”

To a large extent, the global climate crisis is a global water crisis. The campaigners’ warning comes against a backdrop of drought and famine as many developing countries begin to experience the devastating impact of climate change on the water cycle.

Water experts have long warned that this may lead to an increase in conflicts related to water availability and distribution.

Extreme weather events leading to drought and floods, as recently witnessed in Kenya and the Philippines, are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity, possibly as a result of climate change.

“Even with the best mitigation strategies, water related effects of climate change will come,” said Anders Berntell, executive director of the Stockholm International Water Institute. “The challenge for many nations is how to adapt. Climate change is in effect water change, since it will be through water that the changes will be realised first and foremost.”

Yet the latest draft of the negotiating text on adaptation, the so-called Non-Paper No. 31, has deleted any clear references to water and its management as a vital consideration for climate change adaptation, the campaigners say. This is despite mounting pressure from the water community for a strong outcome on water from Copenhagen.

To make sure water is at the top of the agenda, governments, UN agencies, international NGOs and civil society advocates gathered at a “Water Day” event at UN climate talks in Barcelona on 3 November to urge negotiators to consider the critical role that water plays in climate change adaptation.

They highlighted five key points in the water and climate change debate:

Climate change impacts on water resources will affect livelihoods and development .
90 percent of the 3 billion people who are expected to be added to the population by 2050 will be in developing countries, many in regions already under water stress conditions. Integrated land and water management arrangements will be critical to manage water flexibly among competing users, prioritising human needs.

Climate change adaptation is not just a national issue
More than 75 percent of the world’s nations have shared river basins within their boundaries. Regional co-operation on climate change adaptation will be vital for addressing climate change impacts on shared water resources, even as a way to prevent potential conflicts.

Investing in ecosystems can help preserve water supplies
Ecosystems build resilience to climate change. Healthy ecosystems need water and in turn help maintain a healthy water cycle. Care must be taken that climate change mitigation activities do not damage and degrade ecosystems, and that adaptation efforts prioritise their preservation. This is critical not least to food security.

Data, information and governance are key
Understanding climate change impacts on water resources will require enhanced data collection and sharing, and increased capacity for gathering and using data. However, climate change impacts are being felt now and improving water governance arrangements to respond to uncertainty and variability will be the key to good adaptation.

Climate change mitigation efforts must take water into account
The projected increase in hydropower and bio-energy to meet low-carbon energy needs will depend heavily on sustained water flows and water availability. Projected changes in the water cycle as a result of climate change must therefore be taken into account. Building dams for water storage and energy needs must be done in the context of understanding and mitigating potentially negative impacts on human populations and the environment. Bio-energy must be balanced with food security and ecosystem protection.

See also: SEAL THE DEAL: Climate change illustrates need for better water management, UN News Centre, 03 Nov 2009 and the joint Water Day press release “Water evaporates from the climate change negotiating text” by SIWI, UN-Water and Stakeholder Forum, 03 Nov 2009

Source: Astrid Zweynert, Reuters Alertnet, 03 Nov 2009

Global conference says that water must be included in COP-15 climate negotiations

2009 World Water Week participants unanimously support Stockholm Statement on water, climate change, and adaptation.

The participants of the 2009 World Water Week in Stockholm urged that water must be included in the COP-15 climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December 2009.

“Water is a fundamental element in economies, communities, and public health. We know that it is the medium through which climate change manifests its most serious effects. To be effective, climate negotiations must factor in the impact and importance of water for the world and, indeed, human well-being”, said Anders Berntell, Executive Director of the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).

The key messages of the Stockholm Statement are:

• Water is a key medium through which climate change impacts will be felt
• Adaptation is a prerequisite for sustainable development and poverty reduction
• Integration of water with land and forest management is key to effective adaptation
• Ecosystem protection and sustainability is fundamental to adaptation and human development
• Higher-quality information that is more effectively shared will strengthen responses
• Vulnerability assessments and risk management are critical to sound adaptation practice
• New and additional funds are essential.

The World Water Week in Stockholm has been organised and directed by SIWI every year since 1991. The 2009 edition the attracted over 2400 registered participants. The main theme was “Accessing water for the Common Good” with sub-themes on Financing, Climate change, the Water and Food nexus and Transboundary Waters.

Source: SIWI, 21 Aug 2009