[afro-nets] UN World Water Development Report 2006

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

UN World Water Development Report 2006: Water, a shared
responsibility
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UN World Water Assessment Programme, 2006
ISBN: 92-3-104006-5; Price ? 56.00; Includes interactive CD-ROM

Download chapter by chapter as Adobe PDF files 
(ca. 550 pp. 25 MB!) at:
http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr/table_contents.shtml

UNESCO, March 22, 2006 - Although it is unevenly distributed,
there is plenty of freshwater in the world. However,
mismanagement, limited resources and environmental changes mean
that almost one-fifth of the planet's population still lacks
access to safe drinking water and 40% lack access to basic
sanitation, says the United Nations World Water Development
Report 2.

The triennial report is the most comprehensive assessment to
date of freshwater resources. It was presented to the media in
Mexico City on 9 March 2006. Entitled 'Water, a shared
responsibility', this edition focuses on the importance of
governance in managing the world's water resources and tackling
poverty.

The UN World Water Development Report is the joint effort of 24
UN agencies and entities involved in water resources management.
It is produced on their behalf by the UN World Water Assessment
Programme (WWAP) whose secretariat is based at UNESCO. Its 15
chapters, each prepared by the various participating agencies,
present a detailed analysis of the situation in all of the
world's regions, backed up by the latest available data, maps
and graphs, along with 17 case studies and numerous examples of
good and bad practices in water governance.

'Water, a shared responsibility', will be formally presented by
the UNESCO Director-General, on behalf of the United Nations,
during the 4th World Water Forum (16-22 March) in Mexico City on
22 March, World Water Day.

--
Water Forum: http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx/home/home.asp

The main theme of the 4th World Water Forum (4th WWF) is Local
Actions for a Global Challenge. Water related problems have
their greatest impacts at the local level. As a result, local
actions are key for generating concrete results that, when
amalgamated across sectors and regions, will move us closer to
meeting the water-related targets set by the Millennium
Development Goals.

The Ministerial Conference will allow a dialogue between
Ministers and stakeholders participating in the Forum, with the
purpose of confirming the commitments acquired on water matters
in international conferences, validating projects and actions
that are carried out in this area, as well as in those where
non-governmental stakeholders are involved, as well as local and
national governments or international agencies and
organizations.