Towards a New Water Ethic Towards a New Water Ethic David Groenfeldt Water-Culture Institute Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA www.waterculture.org GWSP Conference “Water in the Anthropocene” Bonn, May 21-24, 2012 Session: 'Blue Gold'? The Value and Price of Water: Cultural and Normative Approaches
18
Embed
A New Water Ethic, presentated at GWSP conference, Bonn, 23 May 2013
If we aggregate the various UN resolutions and international declarations about water, we find a surprisingly progressive set of principles. The good news is that we have some valuable principles already spelled out; the bad news is that we often ignore those principles...
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Towards a New Water EthicTowards a New Water Ethic
David GroenfeldtWater-Culture Institute
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USAwww.waterculture.org
GWSP Conference “Water in the Anthropocene”
Bonn, May 21-24, 2012
Session: 'Blue Gold'? The Value and Price of Water: Cultural
and Normative Approaches
ContentsContents
1.1. Anthropocene vs. EcozoicAnthropocene vs. Ecozoic
2.2. Water ethics vs. water standardsWater ethics vs. water standards
3.3. Evolution of a global water ethic Evolution of a global water ethic
4.4. Key principles of ethical consensusKey principles of ethical consensus
6.6. From principles to practiceFrom principles to practice
7.7. Water Ethics CharterWater Ethics Charter
1. Anthropocene vs. Ecozoic1. Anthropocene vs. Ecozoic
Fact: Fact: Humans have changed the Humans have changed the water environment.water environment.
Opportunity: Opportunity: How will we How will we respond?respond?
Study the technical and behavioral problemsStudy the technical and behavioral problems Develop technical and behavioral solutionsDevelop technical and behavioral solutions Work on transforming the underlying cultureWork on transforming the underlying culture
Reframe the problem as one of Reframe the problem as one of values / ethicsvalues / ethics
Look for solutions within those Look for solutions within those domainsdomains
2. Water Ethics vs. Water Standards2. Water Ethics vs. Water Standards
EthicsEthicsAspirational, positive, open-endedAspirational, positive, open-endedReflect worldview (culture)Reflect worldview (culture)Code of conductCode of conduct
3. Evolution of a Global Water Ethic3. Evolution of a Global Water Ethic
Dublin PrinciplesDublin Principles
Principle #1 Principle #1 – “…holistic approach, linking social and – “…holistic approach, linking social and economic development with protection of natural economic development with protection of natural ecosystems.”ecosystems.”Principle #2Principle #2 – “…participatory approach….[and] – “…participatory approach….[and] decisions are taken at the lowest appropriate level…” decisions are taken at the lowest appropriate level…” Principle #3Principle #3 – “…empower women to participate at all – “…empower women to participate at all levels in water resources programs…”levels in water resources programs…”Principle #4Principle #4 – “Managing water as an economic good – “Managing water as an economic good [for] achieving efficient and equitable use…and [for] achieving efficient and equitable use…and protection of water resources.”protection of water resources.”
4. Key Principles of Ethical Consensus4. Key Principles of Ethical Consensus
Keep Nature HealthyKeep Nature Healthy
WFD target of “good ecological status”WFD target of “good ecological status”
Human right to healthy environmentHuman right to healthy environment
Human right to water and sanitationHuman right to water and sanitation
Responsible water useResponsible water use
Participatory water governanceParticipatory water governance
Conservation EthicConservation Ethic
““All ethics…rest upon a single All ethics…rest upon a single premise that the individual is a premise that the individual is a member of a community of member of a community of interdependent parts. His instincts interdependent parts. His instincts prompt him to compete…but his prompt him to compete…but his ethics prompt him also to co-ethics prompt him also to co-operate….The land ethic simply operate….The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.”the land.”
- Aldo Leopold, - Aldo Leopold, The Land EthicThe Land Ethic, 1949, 1949
Rights of Water Ecosystems Rights of Water Ecosystems Environmental flow, Room for RiversEnvironmental flow, Room for Rivers
Multifunctional values of Ag. WaterMultifunctional values of Ag. Water Ecosystem, social, cultural benefitsEcosystem, social, cultural benefits
Community health and well-beingCommunity health and well-being
Industrial responsibility for net ecological gainIndustrial responsibility for net ecological gain
Indigenous cultural sovereigntyIndigenous cultural sovereignty
Participatory water governanceParticipatory water governance Basin-level and use-levelBasin-level and use-level
Indigenous Peoples Water Declaration Indigenous Peoples Water Declaration (Kyoto 2003)(Kyoto 2003)
““We were placed We were placed in a sacred in a sacred manner on this manner on this earth, each in earth, each in our own sacred our own sacred and traditional and traditional lands and lands and territories to territories to care for all of care for all of creation and to creation and to care for water.”care for water.”
6. From Principles to Practice6. From Principles to Practice
Broaden water governanceBroaden water governance Geographically and conceptuallyGeographically and conceptually
Reframe water educationReframe water education Include water culture and ethical principlesInclude water culture and ethical principles
Apply new water knowledgeApply new water knowledge Ecology, psychology, philosophy, anthropologyEcology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology
Experience water (directly and indirectly)Experience water (directly and indirectly) Art, recreation, urbanscape, architectureArt, recreation, urbanscape, architecture