Linkages of Short- and Long-term Policy Measures

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1 Likages of Short- ad Log-term Policy Measures Zafar Adeel Eviromet ad Sustaiable Developmet Programme Uited Natios Uiversity Tokyo , Japa The pollutio of groudater, particularly drikig ater, by arseic has evolved as a major problem of tremedous dimesios throughout Asia. The arseic pollutio crisis is most severe i Bagladesh ad Idia (West Begal), but sigificat populatios i Chia, Nepal, Pakista, Thailad ad Viet Nam, as ell as several Lati America coutries, are at risk. The umber of people potetially impacted by this crisis is far greater tha that for ay other idividual problem facig humaity today. It is a complex problem, ivolvig both techological ad policy challeges, hose solutio requires clear thikig ad a comprehesive strategic respose. This strategy has to explicitly ivolve short- ad log-term measures. This paper highlights some of the cosideratios ad likages betee the to levels of strategies. The most obvious short-term measure is the provisio of safe ater to the affected populatio. Safe meas drikig ater that is arseic-safe (at either atioal drikig ater stadards or WHO guidelies) ad is free from chemical or microbiological cotamiatio. A umber of optios for this are available at had. Providig immediate medical support for the recogized patiets is also a short-term measure. Because a umber of key sectors ca be affected at the atioal scale, log -term measures have to be carefully desiged ad evaluated. These sectors iclude public health, ater resources, agriculture, social elfare, ad atioal ecoomy. Log-term measures should iclude sigificat developmet of the public health sector to cope ith the logterm cosequeces of the large populatio exposed to arseic -polluted ater. Traiig ad capacity developmet i remote ad rural areas becomes a key cocer. These measures should also address provisio of ater supply to affected areas i the cotext of a broader ater resource maagemet policy. Welfare of the affected populatio ad providig them sufficiet social support is a key elemet of log-term policies. This should iclude aareess raisig of the geeral public as ell as providig them iformatio about ho to cope ith the arseicosis -related problems o a day-to-day basis. Havig such social support ould also etail log-term capacity developmet of i the social elfare sector. Sigificat level of research ad ivestigatio is required to fully uderstad the impacts of the arseic crisis o agricultural sector. Because the ecoomies i the Asia regio are largely agriculture depedet, the potetial impacts o the ecoomy ca also be sigificat. These log-term policies should be desiged ith a eye toards a gradual ad progressive trasitio from short-term ad emergecy measures. Uder ideal circumstaces the atioal sustaiable developmet frameork ould provide the basis for such itegratio. I the absece of such a frameork, atioal govermets have to establish specialized istitutioal arragemets that ill esure effective implemetatio of these strategies. Please refer to the PoerPoit presetatio o page 53. Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios 29

The arseic pollutio crisis is most severe i Bagladesh ad Idia (West Begal), but sigificat populatios i Chia, Nepal, Pakista, Thailad ad Viet Nam, as ell as several Lati America coutries, are at risk.

2 Likages of Short- ad Log-term Policy Measures UNU-NIES Iteratioal Workshop Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios Moday, 18 February 2002 Dr. Zafar Adeel Eviromet ad Sustaiable Developmet Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios 53

3 Overvie Regioal scope of the arseic crisis Why focus o Bagladesh? Short-term ad emergecy measures Log-term mitigatio ad policy measures Cross-cuttig issues Trasitio from short- to log-term optios Key lessos leared Regioal Scope of the Arseic Crisis Asia Bagladesh: 35 millio+ West Begal, Idia: 6 millio+ Shaxi Provice, Chia: 100,000+ Nepal: 100,000+ Red River delta, Vietam Cambodia, Thailad, Pakista The Americas Argetia Mexico Chile USA Why Focus o Bagladesh? Magitude of the problem Natioal scope Multi-sectoral impacts Water maagemet Public health sector Agriculture Natioal ecoomy Applicatio of fidigs to other developig coutries 54 Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios

Arseic Crisis Asia Bagladesh: 35 millio+ West Begal, Idia: 6 millio+ Shaxi Provice, Chia: 100,000+ Nepal: 100,000+ Red River delta, Vietam Cambodia, Thailad, Pakista The

4 Short-Term, Emergecy Mitigatio Measures Overall Approach Cohesive strategy Clear, achievable goals Fair ad ubiased implemetatios Likages to log-term policies Participatio of the civil society Itra-govermetal coordiatio Iformatio dissemiatio ad trasparecy leadig to cofidece buildig Short-Term Mitigatio Measures 1 At least o safe ater optio i each village (>80%) based o hydrogeology, geographic locatio, ad socio-ecoomic coditios Deep Tubeell (here suitable aquifer is available) Dug/Rig ell (here techically feasible) Raiater harvestig Treatmet of surface ater (adequate quality ad quatity) Treatmet of arseic cotamiated ater Hydrogeological ivestigatios Screeig of all ells through local ivolvemet Short-Term Mitigatio Measures 2 Health issues Detectio ad documetatio of patiets Provisio of safe ater ad food supplemets to patiets Istitutioal arragemets Settig up of a Task Force Roles of key stakeholders: govermet, NGO s, private sector, media Local govermet for moitorig & implemetatio Iformatio maagemet Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios 55

geographic locatio, ad socio-ecoomic coditios Deep Tubeell (here suitable aquifer is available) Dug/Rig ell (here techically feasible) Raiater harvestig Treatmet of surface ater (adequate quality ad

5 Log-Term Policy Optios 1 Safe ater optios Piped ater supply Applicatio of prove safe ad sustaiable techologies from short-term optios Hydrogeological issues Mappig of aquifers Developmet of groudater maagemet policy Laboratory facilities for groudater aalysis Health-related issues Impartig appropriate traiig to doctors ad health-care orkers Uderstadig health impacts, Dose-respose relatioships i local settigs Impacts o childre Log-Term Policy Optios 2 Istitutioal arragemets Water quality legislatio Istitutioal capacity developmet Developmet i health sector Research ad developmet Research coordiatio mechaism Fate of arseic Leachig of arseic from astes Geochemical mechaisms of arseic mobilizatio i aquifers Diagosis ad epidemiology of arseicosis Bioavailability of arseic ad food chai impacts Cross-Cuttig Issues 1 Aareess buildig Role of popular media Steardship of iformatio Likage to atioal sustaiable developmet Frameork for atioal sustaiable developmet Impacts o ecoomy Ifrastructure groth i the cotext of: Medical ad public health facilities Water delivery systems Negative impacts o agricultural output?? Food security ad utritioal quality Existig ad projected tred of malutritio 56 Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios

local settigs Impacts o childre Log-Term Policy Optios 2 Istitutioal arragemets Water quality legislatio Istitutioal capacity developmet Developmet i health sector Research ad developmet Research

6 Cross-Cuttig Issues 2 Social ad Societal Aspects: Lack of aareess Worst impacts o poorest of the poor Social stigma associated ith arseicosis Cosideratio of alterative livelihoods Societal support for survivors Trasitio from Short- to Log-Term Measures Water issues Trasitio i techologies Short-Term Optios Log-Term Optios Quality moitorig programmes Ivolvemet of commuities, NGO groups Aareess raisig Ifrastructure developmet Trasitio from Short- to Log-Term Measures Health issues Ucertaity i umber of patiets Capacity developmet for public health facilities Esurig food security ad utritioal quality role of agriculture Istitutioal issues Scalig up (movig from household measures to atioal ifrastructure) Elaboratig a time frame Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios 57

raisig Ifrastructure developmet Trasitio from Short- to Log-Term Measures Health issues Ucertaity i umber of patiets Capacity developmet for public health facilities Esurig food security ad

7 Key Lessos Leared Thorough ivestigatio prior to major developmet orks Govermet has a key role to play Leadership ad guidace Coordiatio of efforts Effective implemetatio Ivolvemet of private sector ad geeral public is critical Techological optios aloe are ot sufficiet 58 Arseic Cotamiatio i Groudater - Techical ad Policy Dimesios

implemetatio Ivolvemet of private sector ad geeral public is critical Techological

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