Budapest Water Summit
Statement has been presented. The statement was later adopted.
Statement has been presented. The statement was later adopted.
The Statement declares, inter alia:
water is fundamental, is key to our future development, and safeguards our life support on earth, which is increasingly under pressure from global changes;
all basic planetary and ecosystem functions will be endangered if water is not governed properly, jeopardizing the human right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation;
unintended impacts to ecosystems in the name of water uses are contrary to the aspirations of a sustainable water future; and
lessons of water and sanitation-related MDGs show the critical need for sound scientific underpinning, and socioeconomic, institutional, technical, financial and engineering capacity.
The Statement recommends development of a dedicated and comprehensive SDG on water, a “Water-Secure World,” while clearly addressing the inter-linkages to other SDGs. The Statement proposes the goal be accompanied by “SMART(ER)” [specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (evaluated and re-evaluated)] targets addressing main water-related issues including:
achieving universal access to WASH;
improving integrated and cross-sectoral approaches to water resources management;
reducing pollution and increasing collection, treatment and re-use of water; and
increasing resilience against the water-related impacts of global challenges.
The Statement also concludes that the critical nature of water for human populations and the planet, conditioning any future sustainable development agenda, requires a robust intergovernmental process to regularly monitor, review and assess progress of the implementation of a future water goal. The Statement recommends appropriate institutional mechanisms are soon put in place to regularly review and assess progress in an integrated manner.
The Statement includes annexed policy recommendations on: creating SMART(ER) targets to ensure universal access to safe, gender-responsive and sustainable WASH; integrated consideration of water within its management context and in all basic services sectors; fostering good water governance; using water to create growth and “green economies”; and creating new micro- and macro-, private- and public-, financing methods.