HOST: Hallo, eco-conscious friends, and welcome to Planet Earth: Our
Loving Home. Water is indispensable for the survival of humans and all
other beings on Earth. And although three-quarters of the planet’s
surface is covered in water, 97% of it is saltwater. Thus freshwater
comprises just 3% of the supply and only 1% of that is directly
available to meet human needs.
In recent decades, due to
over-exploitation, prolonged droughts caused by climate change and
environmental degradation such as water pollution by factory farms, an
increasing number of Earth’s residents are experiencing severe water
shortages.
Prof. Allan (m): There
are only 10 countries in the world out of the 200 (that) have got a
significant water surplus. It’s the water from them that keeps the rest
of us going.
Prof. Lundqvist(m): We (will) have an increase in population by three billion or so from the year 2000 to the year 2050.
HOST:
From August 16 to 22, 2009, experts, key decision makers, leaders and
practitioners from around the world gathered for the World Water Week
conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
The event was organized by
the Stockholm International Water Institute, a non-profit policy think
tank, to discuss our planet’s most urgent water-related issues. One
product of the conference was the consensus document, 『The Stockholm
Statement,』 which urges governments to address water issues at the
upcoming climate change summit in Copenhagen.
Harlin (m): What
I can say is clearly this, that the stress on water resources is
increasing tremendously and the stress is increasing, especially in
developing countries.
HOST: On today’s program we’ll hear some
of the conference’s distinguished attendees express their views on the
global water crisis. Jan Lundqvist, Senior Scientific Advisor to the
Stockholm International Water Institute, studies how societies choose
to use planetary resources, and is an expert on the links
between water use and food production.