Within the United Nations Environment Programme, one crucial necessity to the human population is that of access to potable water. In order to sustain human development the need for clean drinking water has become a universal problem. According to UN figures, 1.1 billion people around the world lack access to clean water. Negotiators at the world summit in Johannesburg (2002) agreed on action aimed at halving the number of people in the world without water and sanitation by 2015. A majority of those seeking contact with drinkable water are located on the African continent. It is estimated that half the people in 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa will have no access to potable water by 2025 unless action is taken now. In addition to providing drinkable water, bringing in proper sanitation would significantly reduce diseases such as cholera. This takes the lives of countless children and adults, but can easily be avoided if only the proper treatments were available. Another population that lacks adequate access to potable water is the inhabitants of the Middle East and the Asian continent. Many are faced with contaminated rivers as the only source for running water. People are being informed to boil all water before use, but this still does not satisfy the problem at hand. Sewage is not being treated nor disposed of, and is being consumed by humans who are starving of thirst. This problem is being addressed as one of the eight UN Millennium Goals. Goal Seven states: Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.

In providing access to potable drinking water, the poverty and hunger can be eradicated. Having good water does not only sustain humans, but livestock and crops are in dire need of such nutrients too.

Questions to consider:
What is my country's status on providing access to potable water for all inhabitants?
Does my country support the UN mission to eliminate this issue by 2015? Does it advocate for further measures currently not being undertaken?
Is my country contributing (or will it contribute) to finding a solution for this universal problem, and should sanctions be placed upon those who do not assist?
What sanctions if any should be imposed upon those governments with this problem?

Useful Resources:

United Nations Environment Programme: http://www.unep.org/

State of the Environment: Water Resources http://www.rrcap.unep.org/reports/soe/lao_water.pdf

Africa Environment Outlook: http://www.unep.org/dewa/Africa/publications/aeo-1/164.htm