United Nations
A consortium of 23 UN agencies reported on the world water crisis on World Water Day, 22 March.
It is called "The World Water Development Report: Water for People, Water for Life". The report was released at the 16-23 March Third World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan., a landmark event of the 2003 International Year of Freshwater.
The International Year of Freshwater 2003 was launched to galvanise action on the critical water problems the world faces.
Thanks to gains in the 1990s, 63 countries are on track to reach the target on access to water. In the poorest, least developed countries, no improvement in the proportion of people with access to water was made over the decade.
World Health Organization
WHO and the International Water Association (IWA) have joined forces to launch a new professional publication called the Journal of Water and Health. The first issue is already available online
More information can be found at the WHO Europe Water and Sanitation homepage.
"Water and health in Europe", a joint report from the European Environment Agency and the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Order no. 1310093.
Water for health enshrined as a human right, press release, 27 November 2002.
European Union
Water for Life, EU Institutions Press release IP/02/1265, 03/09/2002.
Local government contacts
World Federation of United Cities
ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) is an international association of local governments implementing sustainable development. They are running a Water Campaign encouraging local level responses to water scarcity.
Non-governmental sector contacts
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)->http://www.cieh.org
Eco-forum (Pan-European Coalition of Environmental Citizens Organizations) have a water issue group under the leadership of MAMA-86 in Ukraine.
Freshwater Action Network (FAN).
European Environmental Bureau
European Public Services Union
Public Services International
The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) has produced a useful statement on a rights-based approach to solving the water crisis. Its resource centre is the Water Observatory
The Swiss Coalition of Development Organizations is calling for an International Water Convention.
Results, a US NGO has assessed how World Bank water policies undermine public health.
The Alliance for Democracy has a webpage on GATS and water entitled "Don’t let the WTO get hold of our water!"
It produced a response from the World Trade Organization, (WTO).
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has an interactive website on success stories of sustainable agriculture, forestry and community development activities and projects.
WaterAid, leading water development agency.
Women in Europe for a Common Future are working on projects related to water and sustainable development. They have produced a paper on Water and Health and presented a statement on water to the WSSD in Johannesburg in 2002.
Publications
"Water in public hands" is considered to be the definitive analysis for public and private delivery of water and wastewater services. Published by Public Services International it is recommended for advocacy, lobbying and campaigning.
"The water manifesto, Arguments for a world water contract", Zed Press, UK, Hardcover 1-85649-905-7. The Water Manifesto has been signed by some key dignitaries in Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
"World water and food to 2025: Dealing with scarcity" contends that if current water policies continue, so will high levels of food insecurity, environmental degradation and water-related ill health.
"Blue gold, The battle against corporate theft of the world’s water" by Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, hardback, Earthscan, London.
Fluoridation
The Royal Institute of Public Health is holding a conference in April 2003 on drinking water and fluoridation: for and against. Contact Penny Moore, +44 207 2918361.
"Dental health in Europe: A problem for disadvantaged groups" is a discussion document compiled by a Pan-European task force established following a European Commission-funded conference on the promotion of dental health, 1998.
