The lifeline linking people, nature and water was explored during the United Nation’s Nature for Life Hub on 24 September 2020. Organized during the United Nations General Assembly, the Hub reflects the essential systemic transformations we must see if we are to bend the curve on nature loss. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay participated in the conversation to share some of the nature-based solutions offered by UNESCO to ensure access to water for all.
Nature plays a fundamental role in ensuring that the world’s 7.6 billion people have enough water to drink, grow food and maintain sanitary conditions. Yet we are facing a global water crisis, with 1 out of 3 people living without safe drinking water. By 2050, up to 5.7 billion people could be facing some level of water scarcity, which will inevitably have an adverse impact on the enjoyment of human rights.
The 2018 World Water Development Report* demonstrated that working with nature improves the management of water resources, helps achieve water security for all, and supports the core aspects of sustainable development. Healthy natural ecosystems play an essential role to increase water quality and availability, and reduce risks associated with climate change, such as floods and droughts. Using Nature-based solutions (NBS), which use or mimic natural processes, for water management is effective and helps to reduce costs.
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme has been applying nature-based ecohydrological solutions for over 20 years. Twenty-six demonstration sites in 19 countries around the world support their development, in close collaboration with the local communities to ensure their sustainability.
In Ethiopia, for instance, the Burkitu reservoir was restored using ecohydrological solutions. As a result, this reservoir, which had been polluted by intensive agriculture, is now an alternative source of drinking water for the city of Asella.
Ecohydrology can also be used to protect water-related heritage. In Ecuador, an ecohydrological approach to the ancestral water system of Los Paltas helped supply water to the city of Catacocha, located in UNESCO’s Bosques de Paz Biosphere Reserve. Local wetlands were restored, and small dykes were built to capture and retain rainwater. This project also led to the discovery of rock carvings, showing the close ties between humans and water.
We have the solutions we need to restore the relationship between people and their environment, to maintain the lifeline. It is up to us to use them to create a new water culture and build the future we want.
*United Nations World Water Development Report 2018: Nature-based Solutions, published by UNESCO on behalf of the UN-Water family.
(Source: UNESCO)
为人类守护水与自然——教科文组织在联合国大会上介绍生态水文学方法，推动新的水文化
2020年9月24日举办的联合国“自然守护生命”枢纽活动探讨了连接人、自然和水的生命线。该枢纽活动在联合国大会期间举办，反映了为减缓自然损失而必须进行的系统性关键转变。联合国教科文组织总干事阿祖莱参加了此次对话，分享了教科文组织为确保人人能够获取水资源而提出的一些基于自然的解决方案。
水文循环告诉我们，水是有限的。水会融化、蒸发、凝固和循环——但它不会被创造出来。然而，人类对水的需求是无限的。随着新冠病毒在全球扩散，这种资源有限而需求量不断增长的矛盾被凸显出来。
——教科文组织总干事阿祖莱
要确保全球76亿人有足够的水资源用于饮用、种植粮食和维持卫生条件，大自然发挥着根本作用。然而，我们正面临着全球水危机，每三个人中就有一个人没有安全的饮用水。到2050年，可能有多达57亿人面临某种程度的缺水问题，这将不可避免地对人权的享有产生不利影响。
2018年世界水发展报告*表明，与自然合作可以改善水资源的管理，有助于实现全民水安全，并支持可持续发展的核心方面。健康的自然生态系统在提高水质和可利用性、降低与气候变化相关的风险（如洪水和干旱）方面发挥着重要作用。使用基于自然的解决方案（NBS），即利用或模拟自然过程进行水管理具有实际效用，并有助于降低成本。
教科文组织的政府间水文计划20多年来一直应用基于自然的生态水文解决方案。全球19个国家的26个示范点支持生态水文解决方案的发展，并与当地社区密切合作，以确保其可持续性。
以埃塞俄比亚为例，布基图（Burkitu）水库正是通过生态水文解决方案被修复。结果，这个曾被密集农业污染的水库现已成为阿塞拉市的替代性饮用水源。
生态水文学也可用于保护与水有关的遗产。在厄瓜多尔，生态水文学方法被应用于洛斯帕尔塔斯（Los Paltas）古老的水系统，从而帮助向位于联合国教科文组织博斯克德巴斯（Bosques de Paz）生物圈保护区的卡塔科查（Catacocha）市供水。当地的湿地得到了恢复，并修建了小型堤坝来收集和积蓄雨水。该项目还发现了一些石刻，显示了人与水之间的密切关系。
我们与水的互动塑造了人类的历史，使不同的文化与环境同步发展。
——教科文组织总干事阿祖莱
要恢复人与环境之间关系并维持生命线，我们已经具备必要的解决方案。我们要利用它们来创造新的水文化，建设我们想要的未来。
*《联合国世界水发展报告2018：基于自然的水资源解决方案》由联合国教科文组织代表联合国水家庭出版。