Discussion on the International Year of Freshwater and the World Water Forum February 2003

Discussion on the International Year of Freshwater and the World Water Forum February 2003

The year 2003 was the International Year of Freshwater designated by the United Nations, and the third World Water Forum was held in Kyoto, Osaka, and Shiga. In the post-Cold War world, population growth, urbanization, and industrialization have made the scarcity of freshwater resources more serious, and the UN predicted that half of the world's population will live in water scarce areas by 2025. Japan had also experienced water pollution during its period of rapid economic growth, and the securing and conservation of water resources was a matter of social concern. The article is like a policy dialogue, mixing the voices of diverse positions. Distrust of tap water led to the spread of mineral water and water purifiers, and corporate technologies such as reverse osmosis and seawater desalination have advanced. The deterioration of water source functions due to forest degradation has become an issue, and Kochi Prefecture introduced a forest environment tax, and attempts to prot
ect water sources through taxation have spread to other prefectures. Internationally, droughts, floods, and salt damage were linked to climate change and deforestation, and water pollution caused by the massive use of water for agriculture and industrialization was straining freshwater resources. The article asked, "After oil, is conflict over water next?" and indicated the seriousness of the resource problem. At the same time, the article introduced the international development of Japan's water supply and sewage infrastructure, water quality improvement agents, microorganism utilization, biomass utilization, and other technological expertise. Linking everything from drinking water projects to forest taxes to the international water crisis, this special issue shows that water is at the core of political, economic, and social dialogue.