Wallpapers 2013 - International Year of Water Cooperation

In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the International Year of Cooperation in the Sphere of Water. In addition, World Water Day, March 22, 2013, will be dedicated to cooperation in the water sphere.

The main task facing the international community in the field of water resources is the transformation of the obligations contracted into concrete facts on the ground, essential for the benefit of people, ecosystems and the biosphere as a whole.

Promoting opportunities for cooperation in water management among all parties involved and improving understanding of the challenges and benefits of this cooperation contribute to mutual respect, understanding and trust between countries and promotes peace, security and sustainable economic growth .
The benefits of cooperation on water

"Water is a key element whose importance will never be overestimated"

The benefits of cooperation include the costs avoided by the reduction of tensions and confrontations with neighboring territories. Tense interstate relations linked to water management can inhibit regional cooperation in other areas such as trade, transportation, telecommunications and labor markets. Clear examples are the cases of the Euphrates, Indus or Jordan basins.

Cooperation at the basin level can promote efficient techniques for water storage and distribution, increasing the irrigation surface.
Cooperation for development and environmental sustainability

Water is crucial for sustainable development; Water has social, economic and environmental value and needs to be managed within a robust socio-economic and environmental framework that is comprehensive. Both upstream and downstream, relevant stakeholders will need to be involved in water management decisions. It is impossible to maintain the integrity of a balanced ecosystem without a global strategy for water resources management. We all share the responsibility to protect the common environments surrounding rivers and the bodies of water associated with them.

Water contributes to alleviating poverty in many ways, for example, through sanitation services, water supply, etc. Appropriate quantity and quality of water improves health and, applied at the right time, contributes to increasing the productivity of land, labor and other assets. These goals are affordable and would cost much less than providing the healthcare needed to treat people affected by preventable diseases caused by poor water and sanitation conditions. Each government should facilitate a robust legislative framework and implementation structure to manage the use of its water resources.