High Level Roundtable Discussion on "Water, Peace and Security"

Transcription

1 High Level Roundtable Discussion on "Water, Peace and Security" hosted by the U.S., EU and UN Water Tuesday, 25 September, 2012, 1:15 2:30pm Side Event at the 67 th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, New York Summary Report Prepared by: Harriet Bigas 1, Chuck Chaitovitz 2 and Kyle Sucher 2 1 United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment & Health (UNU INWEH) 2 Global Environment and Technology Fund (GETF) 1. Overview The United States, European Union and UN Water co hosted a High Level Roundtable Discussion on Water, Peace and Security on Tuesday, 25 September, The event was held on the margins of the 67 th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and featured, among others, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Lady Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union and Vice President of the European Commission. Approximately people attended the event, including many representatives from UN missions. There was a facilitated discussion among the mission representatives, moderated by Maria Otero, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Civil Security, Democracy and Human Rights, focusing on the key challenges and needed solutions associated with water as a security issue. A webcast of the event is available at: on water peace andsecurity/ /. 2. Main Outcomes of the High Level Roundtable Discussion The High Level Roundtable Discussion provided a platform for dialogue on the interrelated issues of water, security and peace. Through a series of remarks from the Panel, an open discussion moderated by Under Secretary Otero, and closing remarks from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the following main conclusions were reached: 1) Water is a question of priority, not only for peace and security, but also for human development. Water is a strategic and development challenge that should be a political imperative. 2) Water will have an effect on many aspects of security and will have an impact across many sectors. It is clear that water is at the heart of many global challenges including food security, economic viability, development, climate change, peace and security. 3) Conflict is not inevitable, and cooperation is possible. Transboundary water issues provide a key opportunity for cooperation and collaboration as an effective means for addressing water management challenges at the regional and country levels. 4) Regional mechanisms are needed in order to allow us to deal with water issues effectively. Effective cooperation on water security can be a win win situation across regions and states, and regional and international platforms can provide a mechanism for shared approaches and increased understanding and cooperation. 1

2 5) Water security offers opportunities. There are opportunities for improved water management as a means to better manage challenges and reduce risks and potential conflicts. 6) A wide range of institutions, countries and agencies needed to address issues related to water. There is a need for integrated approaches to water challenges, and these should be underpinned by science and research. 7) There needs to be an increase in training, technical assistance and capacity to address water issues more effectively. Capacity is needed not only at the governmental level, but also in private, non profit and public sectors. 3. Summary of the Key Discussion Points raised by the Panel The following is a summary of the key discussion points raised by the Panel. Lady Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union and Vice President of European Commission: Lady Ashton highlighted the importance of water to many cross cutting issues, such as energy, food and development, which will be accentuated by climate change. She acknowledged the potentially destabilizing quality of these issues and their potential to create real challenges for peace, security, environment and economics. Lady Ashton acknowledged that issues of water security often occur across regions and emphasized the importance of transboundary water management for reducing the potential risk for conflict. She encouraged the promotion of collaborative water management for sustainable development, stability, and climate change mitigation, and informed that the EU is drawing on Europe s experience in collaboration, such as in the Danube River Basin, to inform current policy decisions and to engage in areas around the world to promote transboundary work. She emphasized the need to complement these efforts with supporting international structures, such as the 1992 and 1997 Water Conventions, and encouraged continuation of this work. Lady Ashton expressed the EU s commitment towards and engagement in continued action on water and sanitation issues, as demonstrated by its 2 billion investment since 2008 into water and sanitation, made together with many longstanding partnerships. Finally, she urged the exploration of political partnerships to promote sustainable solutions to enhancing water security across the world. Michel Jarraud, Chair of UN Water and Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization: Mr. Jarraud stated that secure and sustainable access to water is key to ongoing water security, and acknowledged the growing recognition of the role water plays in peace and security. To this end, UN Water has over the last three years been working on developing a definition of water security that provides a framework for addressing water challenges that accommodates the wide range of issues, including human development, ecosystem protection, national and regional security, and disaster risk reduction. A continued focus on water security will require consideration of the following key questions: Where are biggest threats? What is the role of the UN? Who should play what role? Mr. Jarraud referred to the recent UN Water Status Report on the Application of Integrated Approaches to Water Resources Management as an example of measuring progress on globally agreed targets. 2

3 Richard Engel, Major General, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), Director of the Environment and Natural Resources Program, National Intelligence Council: Maj. Gen. Engel provided a summary of the recent Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on water security. The report concludes those countries experiencing water issues may experience state failure, regional tensions and breakdowns in relations with the U.S. due to water issues. The following Key Judgments were made: Relationships inside states: Water issues combined with other factors (poverty, environment, economics, etc.) will likely result in state failures, with some states better suited to handle water stress than others. Relationships between states: Water will increasingly be used as leverage between states. Though unlikely to cause conflict in the next 10 years, water is a plausible driver of conflict beyond 10 years. Water may also be used as a terrorist vector. Impact on food markets: Depletion of groundwater in agriculture intensive areas will pose a risk to national and global food markets, with a particular impact in Africa and the Middle East where 75 % of water is already used for agriculture. If and when food production falls, countries will turn to already stressed global markets, further exacerbating stress. Economic capacity of states: Water stress will have a negative impact on the performance of U.S. trading partners. Improved water management will afford the best solutions: Virtual water through innovative market mechanisms and trading can help improve efficiency in agriculture. Konrad Osterwalder, Rector, United Nations University and Under Secretary General, United Nations: Dr. Osterwalder highlighted some of the challenges associated with water security, all of which will have a direct effect on peace and security: the increasing demands of a growing population; the need to alleviate poverty and health risks; the need to meet the human rights of every individual; and, the impending impacts of climate change in accelerating water stress. Dr. Osterwalder indicated that although it is difficult to identify a recent conflict driven by water, policy makers and scientists recognize that water is a key driver of potential future conflicts. The additional stress caused by climate change will lead to a water imbalance, and it will therefore be important to increase supply and manage demand by looking at possible solutions, such as through virtual water use and trading, improving water productivity, promoting the safe use of wastewater, and promoting effective collaboration on water issues to develop win win situations. Dr. Osterwalder noted that decisions on transboundary resources must be made collaboratively, and that technology transfer and cooperation are key for improved management. This is highlighted by the UN s declaration of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation. Dr. Osterwalder highlighted that the UNU has been actively engaged on water security issues and its related challenges, and emphasized the need for partnership between developed and developing countries as a way forward, and the continued need for education and capacity building. Mara Marinaki, Managing Director for Global and Multilateral Issues, European External Action Service, European Union: Ms. Marinaki stated that water is a major strategic challenge of growing concern as water is closely linked to all forms of security, noting the particular importance of food and energy security. 3

4 Ms. Marinaki commended the attention attributed to water at Rio+20 and considered it important to maintain a full commitment in the area of water and sustainable development. She noted that water will become the biggest factor in conflict prevention and resolution and referred to the recent report issued by the InterAction Council (a group of eminent former heads of state and government) on the global water crisis. Ms. Marinaki noted the EU s long and substantive history of water cooperation, whose efforts have been further complimented by available legal instruments such as the UN Watercourses Convention of 1997 and recognized the EU s engagement in concrete efforts to address water security issues. Ms. Marinaki reconfirmed the EU s committment to continuing efforts towards water collaboration, inspired by its own member states experience. 4. Summary of the Discussion moderated by Maria Otero, Under Secretary of State for Civil Security, Democracy and Human Rights The following comments were offered during the open discussion moderated by Under Secretary Otero. Switzerland: Water is at the center of nearly every global challenge, and the global water crisis is one of the most pressing political, environmental and social issues of 21 st century which will require the mobilization of all stakeholders, including the private sector and the poor. Three suggestions for moving forward include: National and international cooperation management mechanisms (reference to the Blue Peace programme in the Middle East) Implementation of water as a human right translating principle into reality Treating water as an essential element in the human challenge AMCOW: Emphasized the significance of the water challenges that face Africa, more so than other continents and regions. With eighty transboundary waters, there is a huge opportunity for cooperation and many people see water as an opportunity for shared security. Experience has taught that water brings people together, such as the collaboration between Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and others on shared management of the Nile, and cooperation around the Niger and Senegal Rivers. Without water, there can be no development. Netherlands: With experience in both water and security, the Netherlands will emphasize the nexus of the two by hosting International World Water Day Further, the Netherlands will rely on its reputation for international law, justice and peace and its long history of water management experience and knowledge to combine these two areas of expertise to form a Water Diplomacy Consortium focused on reducing water conflicts. A high level conference is scheduled for the end of August The Dutch also expressed hope that the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention enters into force as soon as possible. France: France shared concerns on instability and agreed that a focus on this dimension of security is needed. The French have a longstanding commitment to capacity building in this regard and will continue. Three suggestions for moving forward include: Including the right to water and sanitation in the post 2015 agenda Exploring the potential in Public Private Partnerships for improving management of water 4

5 Improving transboundary water management, taking the 1992 and 1997 Conventions into account, to enhance regional cooperation Egypt: The Egyptian delegation posed two questions: What work is being done on the definition of water security? What is the representation of countries/regions that are important to U.S. foreign policy? Germany: Emphasized the need to develop concrete solutions and to not be afraid of technical questions. Offered the Berlin Process as an example of collaboration under the EU s Central Asia strategy with a clear foreign security focus. Central Asian foreign security partners are collaborating on three levels: scientific level (database), political level (effective structures), training and education (to become better water managers). Hungary: The Hungarian delegation spoke on behalf of Finland, Thailand and Tajikistan and concurred with the main points raised thus far. They emphasized that water is a strategic issue that requires strategic work. Broad spectrum partnerships are needed, and it is essential to build coherence across countries and interrelations between institutions and approaches. They offered to contribute to joint efforts by organizing a major international conference in 2013 on water and sanitation to take stock of what has been put together and look to the future. UNESCO: They highlighted 2013 as the designated UN International Year of Water Cooperation. They urged focus on awareness raising, advocacy and capacity building. Other issues also include financing, water reduction, and the post 2015 agenda. UNESCO highlighted the World Water Assessment Report, and emphasized the major role that science plays in underpinning the work that needs to be done. Guatemala: Emphasized the obligations to conserve and use water responsibly. They urged shared responsibility of a right to water and a shared responsibility for good water stewardship at all riparian levels. Tanzania: Expressed concern that equal attention should be paid to other aspects of water, including development, health, education, gender and agriculture. Water security offers an opportunity for collaboration, but a framework and political will is needed to enable countries with shared waterways to share in a manner that promotes effective use. 5. Conclusions In her closing remarks 1, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed the importance of water as both a moral imperative and a strategic investment for the future, encouraging water as a priority in every country s domestic and foreign policy. Secretary Clinton emphasized the need for robust institutions and platforms to facilitate cooperation and regional dialogue on shared waters. Both Secretary Clinton and Under Secretary Otero highlighted the U.S. Water Partnership as a key initiative for transforming how the U.S. will address global water challenges going forward. The Roundtable Discussion was seen as a positive and important step forward in the water security dialogue. The Panelists expressed hope at this meeting s contribution to progress towards addressing these challenges and to identifying next steps for a collaborative way forward. 1 The full text of Secretary Clinton s closing remarks can be found at: 5