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The value of water: an analytical reading of the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR 2021)
2022-06-29
Director of the Upper Euphrates Basin Development Center
According to our cultural, scientific and ideological heritage, we are all aware of the importance of water for all fields of life, including human beings. The Almighty says ((and made from water every living thing)) Al-Anbiya 30, which is often taken for granted, at least by entities and individuals who have easy access and reasonable prices to a safe and abundant water supply, as noted by the Vice-President of the United Nations Water Commission and the Associate Director of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All Program (WASH) and others. Which leads in many cases to its misuse, contamination or waste? Unfortunately, in a country like Iraq, it has recently been suffering from water scarcity and the lack of water incomes, since most of the sources of the rivers are outside the borders of Iraq, and the lack of rain and precipitation as a result of climatic changes, but the misuse, waste and negative impact on water quality are still continuing on a large scale. Solving the water problem in its many dimensions in light of this scarcity of water resources is one of the biggest challenges facing Iraq, especially after many reports that after 2040 there may not be rivers in Iraq, which is considered an existential challenge for the country due to the high level of demand for water as a result of the increase in population and associated achievement of food security and other human activities on the one hand, and the failure to adopt effective, efficient and modern methods that adopt governance and the principles of good water governance, which is what Seriously affecting the daily lives of human beings, especially the poor, increasing suffering from water-related diseases and living in unhealthy and often risky environments.
So become Rationalization Consumption Water and integrated water management is a necessity and not an option for Iraq, and through the experiences of many countries that preceded us, and there are also many specialists, including experts in the United Nations Water Committee, who believe ((that it is necessary to deal with with water as a commodity economic has a big value)), Through it, it is possible to meet the humanity requirement, and strive to achieve food security and maintain on the environment, Which eventually leads to achieve an acceptable degree of integrated administration grades that seeking to maintain on the ecological balance Theme. Thus, achieving sustainable development goals, in which more than one goal is linked to water, either directly or indirectly.as the solution of water crisis in all dimensions required the adoption of comprehensive plan to solve the problems, the elimination of poverty and change patterns of production whether agricultural or other and especially water consumption, food security as well as protection and management the bases of natural resources development for economic and social development which is one of the most important goals for sustainable development and its priorities but the basic requirements to it. In this simple article, we will try to clarify the concepts of integrated water management and its relationship to sustainable development in light of water scarcity and climate changes through a United Nations report on water resources development and the clarification presented by a number of officials in the United Nations Water Committee.
What does it mean to give water a “value”?:
The main questions raised by the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR 2021) are:
1- What does "value" mean?
2- What is the “value” of water?
The current situation of water resources in Iraq requires focusing on the issue of optimal management of water resources or improving this management because the traditional irrigation methods used in Iraq and the obvious waste due to the lack of acceptance of modern procedures by most farmers and the failure to activate legislation on the system of management and operation of water resources in Iraq are clearly visible and require a fundamental thing that is essential to achieve sustainable and fair management of water resources and thus achieve the sustainable development goals this matter as indicated by the UN Committee of Water represented by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee is to identify , measure and express (water value) and make it part of the decision-making process. Giving "value" to water is the best way to recognize its importance — both for individuals and communities as well as for the environment from which it comes and returns according to natural laws.
The report (United Nations World Water Development Report) WWDR 2021)) refers to the question of, what value specifically means to users and stakeholders, and it is critical matter. Calculating the value is different from expressing this value, and it has special criteria for expressing it. For example, the terms "price", "cost" and "value" are not synonymous. UN-Water members assert that the first two terms can be easily measured from a primarily monetary value-based viewpoint, but the term value encompasses a much broader range of non-binding benefits. Often tangible. While it can be argued that monetary appraisal is easier than most other methods, and has the advantage of using a common scale by which the values ??of different uses can be compared quantitatively, it can lead to undervaluing or excluding benefits that are difficult to evaluate critically.For some users, as long as he pays water fees and at any cost, this is sufficient for him, but he neglects a very important aspect, which is the value of water, and that wastage in use can have a negative and significant impact on other sectors and users, for example, inefficiency in the use of water can reduce agricultural land as is the case in Iraq today, many regions and populations may be deprived of a fair share or their actual needs, and this is linked to food security and sustainable development goals, such as the first goal: eradicating starvation and other goals such as combating desertification, clean water and many other goals. Therefore, there can be a monetary value for water that represents the amount of consumption a tax or other monetary value related to waste. In some countries, the real requirement for domestic use is determined based on accurate data, and this requirement is calculated monthly. Any excess of this specific consumption is charged, and additional fees are imposed, which reduces waste to the least possible. This requires an infrastructure of measurements, accurate data, and follow-up and educational awareness campaigns at the level of Iraq, starting from kindergartens and not ending at a specific age or social group. So the report (WWDR 2021) has basis of water evaluation in five interrelated elements:
1- Water sources.
2- Water storage infrastructure.
3- Water services, intended (drinking water, sanitation and related aspects of human health.
4- Water as an introduction to production and social activity and the economic, which is meant (food, agriculture, energy, industry, business and employment).
5- The other social and cultural values ??of water, which are meant (recreational, cultural and spiritual properties).
There are many differences in the method of evaluating water and different views on the value of water and methods of calculating and expressing it. For example, the report and members of the United Nations Water Committee indicate that it is practically impossible to perform a quantitative comparison of the value of water for domestic use (and this is clear in Iraq, for example, that it may differ from one house to another). The human right to water, customary or religious beliefs (for example, mosques and places of worship that use infrastructure, for example, taps without sensors that lead to more water drainage than necessary), and the value of maintaining fluxes to preserve biodiversity or taking into account the specificity of the country in this respect, such as it is necessary to provide a share of water to push the saline tongue in Basra, as well as to preserve the marshes. The difficulty here is that none of these values ??should be sacrificed in order to achieve consistent evaluation methodologies. The reality indicates that some social and cultural values ??related to water represent the most important challenge to derive or formulate equations or methods for their estimation..The realization of the values ??attributed to water and the benefits associated with it is automatic to a big degree and requires the use of multi-valued methods of water management by focusing on the role of values ??in guiding the main decisions of water resources management as the good water management requires the active participation of various stakeholders in society, leading to more integrated and equitable decisions. The political will (the legislator) to consider placing a value on water is very important, which requires a redistribution of powers and giving more space for disposal to the water resources offices in the governorates, as well as influencing opinion through building public awareness and pressure for change, which is the role of information and education through media campaigns. Great awareness that can benefit in the long run all sectors from water supply, sanitation and hygiene to agriculture, energy, industry and the environment, as a comprehensive development cycle from planning to improving competencies, adaptive management and monitoring. Currently, the priority is to make amendments through a set of controls and limitations, enactment of laws and granting incentives to certain sectors to use water more efficiently in certain cases, which requires legal legislation to support this trend. New ones suitable for the current stage, which is witnessing water scarcity and negative effects of climate changes, as Iraq is one of the most prominent countries negatively affected by these changes in the world. The initial stages of water resource planning and infrastructure design present significant but untapped opportunities for introducing different aspects of the value of water.
Any solutions? Any recommendations?
Those responsible for managing the water resources file in Iraq must explore various financial options and opportunities for this vital sector, the most notably is to strengthening institutional, financial, human and technical capabilities and coordinating them at the national and local levels, including implementing capacity-building programs and activities by adopting an integrated approach that covers all these aspects in order to participate and improve the process of making decision on the issue of water resources. The optimal use of resources and coordination in capacity building leads to the use of these resources more efficiently in national development plans and achieving sustainable development goals. The most prominent example of this is the green belt projects around cities, which have increased in importance after the recent dust storms and revealed the importance of adopting integration between different sectors for the success of the project. The interdependence that exists between the sustainable development goals, which we have already mentioned, is the basis for capacity development, and therefore it should be mainstreamed in the national monitoring systems. However, we noticed through the field survey that there are gaps in data collection and monitoring that can be addressed by strengthening the capacities of the concerned offices, especially the statistical authorities in the governorates. So we suggest:
· To support water collection for all projects, whether agricultural, household or other, accompanied by an educational awareness campaign to be one of the tools or means, in addition to the modern infrastructure to address the data gaps in water resources and all the main social and economic sectors. Water has a major role in achieving all sustainable development goals for the year 2030.
· To encourage investments in research and technology dealing with the use and development of technologies to confront the effects of climate change and water scarcity in Iraq; Iraqi universities can play a major role through their postgraduate programs.
· Engage the scientific and technological community in the process of implementing the national sustainable development goals, because science and technology are two strategic means in facilitating the interaction between science and policies that guide the decision-making based on evidence and activate the committees and bodies formed and proposed to manage the file of water resources, such as the Supreme National Water Committee and the Iraqi Supreme Council for Water Resources.
