The takeaways from the UN World Water Conference

Source– The post is based on the article “The takeaways from the UN World Water Conference” published in the “The Hindu” on 5th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Global groupings and agreements. GS1- Economic geography

Relevance– Issues related to water management at domestic and international level

News– Recently, the World Water Conference that was convened by the United Nations

What are the important outcomes of the conference?

The conference held a mid-term review of the Water Action Decade 2018­-2028. It envisages the sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

The central outcome of the conference was the international Water Action Agenda. Under it, Governments, multilateral institutions, businesses, and non­governmental organisations submitted over 670 commitments to address water security issues.

What are the key issues related to developments at conference?

The commitments made at the conference must be scrutinised. There is a need to see whether they will yield universal, safe, affordable and equitable access to water. Meeting this target by 2030 will need capital expenditures of $114 billion per year.

The World Bank estimates that operations and maintenance for basic water and sanitation service costs will rise from about $4 billion to over $30 billion per year by 2030. It is far more than the capital costs for basic WASH services.

As per WB study, funding from regional, national, and international sources prioritises new water infrastructure rather than on water maintenance services. It results in decreased service for water customers.

As per World Resources Institute, commitments made by the states lack proper finance and targets that are quantifiable in nature. Investment of this range would require valuing water. This will require robust water measurement and accounting.

There are serious limitations in our knowledge about the volume, flux and quality of water in lakes, rivers, soils and aquifers. There are huge gaps in water usage data.

Water is not considered as a global public good. It is not considered to be an area of urgent funding as compared to climate change. GEF is the only international funding mechanism that has provided grant and concessional loans for 300 watersheds and an even greater number of aquifers.

What are major developments related to India on water management?

India has committed an investment of $240 billion in the water sector and efforts to restore groundwater level at the conference.

A 2021 CAG report says that groundwater extraction in India increased from 58% to 63% between 2004­-17. This has been further exacerbated by climate change.

The revised Groundwater Bill 2017 gives power to State groundwater boards for creating laws, managing water allocation and other relevant issues.

The State boards are understaffed, and lack expertise. They prioritise socio political conflicts over groundwater resources.

What are legal aspects related to conference?

In international law, states have the authority to make voluntary commitments to address issues of global concern. These commitments are distinguished from other legal forms. They are generally independent of the commitments of other parties.

States have taken voluntary commitments to curb greenhouse gases and to take measures to promote sustainability, even in the absence of a legally non binding instrument.

In the case of climate change, these voluntary commitments take place within a broader context of binding agreements: the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement.

The 2023 Water Conference takes place within the context of SDG 6, and not within the context of the UN Water Convention 1997 and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Water Convention 1992. These are two legally binding legal instruments on regulation of trans­boundary river water courses.

Common thread between the Water Conference and the two conventions are SDG 6 targets that focus on implementation of integrated water resources management  at all levels.