2nd World Water Forum

The world is facing a water crisis. About one billion people lack access to safe water and three billion to appropriate sanitation. There will probably be two billion extra people on the planet by 2025; so while today's shortages are for fresh water and sanitation, tomorrow's are predicted to be for growing crops. Already, 10% of world food production is drawing down underground water faster than the recharge rates. Water also threatens to cause conflicts between regions--a state of affairs that is expected to worsen as this century progresses. To raise public awareness of these issues and pressurize politicians to act, the World Water Commission (WWC) held a Forum in March 2000 in The Hague. The Forum collected together a huge range of people from governments, non-government organizations (NGOs), workers for the environment and development, private sector water providers, trades unions and scientific institutes. They all discussed a document (World Water Vision: A Water Secure World, referred to as the Vision) drawn up by the WWC as a basis for action. The Forum culminated in a meeting of ministers from over 140 governments.