Dublin Statement
Encyclopedia
The Dublin Statement on Water and Sustainable Development, also known as the Dublin Principles, was adopted by the United Nations
on the 31st of January 1992 at the International Conference on Water and the Environment (ICWE), Dublin, Ireland, organised on 26-31 January 1992. This conference was the last technical preparatory meeting before the UN Conference on Environment and Development (the "Earth Summit
") in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.
The Dublin Statement on Water and Sustainable Development recognises the increasing scarcity of water as a result of the different conflicting uses and overuses of water. The statement is generally referred to as the UN document that declares water a finite natural resource with economic value.
Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM) is inspired by the four Dublin Principles.
In november 2002, however, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
adopted General Comment No. 15, which was formulated by experts as a comment on articles 11 and 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
. In this comment, water is recognised not only as a limited natural resource and a public good but also as a human right. This step - adopting General Comment No. 15 - is seen as a decisive step towards the recognition of water as universal right, although the document has no legally binding power.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
on the 31st of January 1992 at the International Conference on Water and the Environment (ICWE), Dublin, Ireland, organised on 26-31 January 1992. This conference was the last technical preparatory meeting before the UN Conference on Environment and Development (the "Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
") in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.
The Dublin Statement on Water and Sustainable Development recognises the increasing scarcity of water as a result of the different conflicting uses and overuses of water. The statement is generally referred to as the UN document that declares water a finite natural resource with economic value.
The Dublin Principles
The declaration sets out recommendations for action at local, national and international levels to reduce the scarcity, through the following four guiding principles:- Principle 1: Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life, development and the environment
- Principle 2: Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners and policy-makers at all levels
- Principle 3: Women play a central part in the provision, management and safeguarding of water
- Principle 4: Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognized as an economic good
Integrated Water Resources Management
Integrated Water Resources Management
Integrated Water Resources Management has been defined by the Technical Committee of the Global Water Partnership as "a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land...
(IWRM) is inspired by the four Dublin Principles.
Water as universal right or economic good?
The emphasis of the Dublin Statement on the economic value of water rather than water as a universal right is highly contested by NGOs and human rights activists. Up till today it is still the only binding UN document that makes a statement on the issue.In november 2002, however, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is a United Nations body of 18 experts that meets three times a year to consider the five-yearly reports submitted by UN member states on their compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights...
adopted General Comment No. 15, which was formulated by experts as a comment on articles 11 and 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 16, 1966, and in force from January 3, 1976...
. In this comment, water is recognised not only as a limited natural resource and a public good but also as a human right. This step - adopting General Comment No. 15 - is seen as a decisive step towards the recognition of water as universal right, although the document has no legally binding power.
See also
- Integrated Water Resources ManagementIntegrated Water Resources ManagementIntegrated Water Resources Management has been defined by the Technical Committee of the Global Water Partnership as "a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land...
- Global Water PartnershipGlobal Water PartnershipThe Global Water Partnership , is an international network that offers practical advice for sustainably managing water resources. It promotes and supports activities that operate at the national and regional levels of development...
- Right to waterRight to water- Introduction :The number of people lacking access to safe drinking water is 884 million and more than 2.6 billion miss a basic sanitation.When taken as human right, the right to water places certain responsibilities upon governments to ensure that people can enjoy "sufficient, safe, accessible...
- Water scarcity