Pedro Arrojo-Agudo Calls for Protection of Aquatic Ecosystems and Human Rights
Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, addressed the Human Rights Council, emphasizing the urgent need to protect aquatic ecosystems and promote human rights. He highlighted the importance of discussing the inclusion of contamination of aquatic ecosystems as crimes against humanity in the Rome Statute. Arrojo-Agudo stressed that over-exploitation, land grabbing, and contamination were not only threatening the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems but also violating the human rights of impoverished communities.
Challenges Faced by Aquatic Ecosystems
- 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water
- Over-exploitation, land grabbing, and contamination are breaking the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems
- Contamination from mining activities is poisoning hundreds of millions of people
- Unsustainable irrigation practices and toxic contamination by pesticides are ruining aquifers and leaving millions without drinking water
- Privatization of water is affecting the sustainability of ecosystems and the human rights of impoverished communities
- Climate change is contributing to the degradation of aquatic ecosystems
Visits to Peru and Tunisia
Arrojo-Agudo shared his findings from visits to Peru and Tunisia, highlighting the specific challenges faced by these countries.
- In Peru, the destruction of aquifers, wetlands, and cloud forests by large-scale mining worsened the impact of climate change, leading to droughts and floods. Recommendations included implementing legislation to protect river headwaters and prevent overexploitation of aquifers.
- In Tunisia, overexploitation of water resources, prioritization of productive demands over rural drinking water, and water pollution were major concerns. Recommendations included prioritizing drinking water over productive uses and raising awareness about proper water use.
Discussion on Human Rights and Sustainable Development
During the discussion, participants emphasized that access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right. They highlighted the importance of water in ensuring access to food and health for all, particularly vulnerable populations. The Special Rapporteur emphasized that the lack of a sustainable development model is at the root of the water crisis. Pollution, over-exploitation, and mismanagement of freshwater were identified as key causes of the ongoing water and sanitation crises.
Call for Action
Participants called for increased action to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation for all. They stressed the need for inclusive and democratic water governance based on a human rights approach. The international community was urged to address water pollution, over-exploitation, and mismanagement as crimes against humanity. Cooperation among stakeholders and the empowerment of communities were highlighted as essential for sustainable water management.
Conclusion
Arrojo-Agudo expressed gratitude for the attention given to the reports and highlighted the need for action to protect aquatic ecosystems and human rights. He emphasized the importance of strengthening the resilience of aquatic systems, addressing climate change, and combating toxic contamination. The role of women and indigenous communities in protecting rivers was acknowledged. Arrojo-Agudo called for global discussions on water contamination and the definition of ecocide as a crime under international law.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 15: Life on Land
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
- SDG 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
- SDG 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
- SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- SDG 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
- SDG 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These include:
- Contamination of aquatic ecosystems by heavy metals and other toxins generated by mining and production activities
- Amount of toxic waste discharged into rivers by mining
- Growth of irrigation and over-exploitation of aquifers
- Contamination of water resources by pesticides
- Privatization of water and its impact on ecosystem sustainability
- Contribution of climate change to the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.3: Improve water quality | – Contamination of aquatic ecosystems by heavy metals and toxins – Amount of toxic waste discharged into rivers by mining |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.4: Increase water-use efficiency | – Unsustainable growth of irrigation and over-exploitation of aquifers – Toxic contamination of water resources by pesticides |
| 6.6: Protect and restore water-related ecosystems | – Impact of unsustainable practices on the sustainability of ecosystems | |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1: Strengthen resilience to climate-related hazards | – Contribution of climate change to the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1: Ensure conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems | – Unsustainable practices leading to the destruction of aquifers, wetlands, and cloud forests |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.7: Ensure inclusive decision-making | – Need for international discussions on water pollution and crimes against humanity |
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Source: reliefweb.int
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