Yesterday, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation Pedro Arrojo Agudo, presented his report to the United Nations. The French language service of the UN today provides a summary:
Aquatic ecosystems and water must be considered and managed in the public domain, as common goods that are accessible to all but cannot be appropriated by anyone, a United Nations independent expert said on Monday, criticising the approach that considers ‘water as a commodity’ that should be managed according to the logic of the market.
In his report to the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation calls for a distinction to be made between water necessary for life and water used for economic purposes, for priorities to be set and for specific management criteria to be defined. Pedro Arrojo-Agudo said:
‘What is the monetary value of the water needed to ensure the health of your families? Is the value of the water needed to grow avocados for export even comparable to the value needed to protect public health.’
For Mr Arrojo-Agudi, it is ‘wrong’ to consider ‘water as a commodity’ that should be managed according to the logic of the market.
An approach based on non-discrimination and transparency
He added:
‘According to this approach, access to, use of and benefits from water depend on the ability to pay according to supply and demand, and access to information and management are left in the hands of companies. This is incompatible with a human rights-based approach to water management.’
On another level, the water on which people depend and the aquatic ecosystems from which they draw must be managed using a common approach. This must be based on human rights, guaranteeing non-discrimination, equal participation, transparency and accountability. The expert said:
‘These ecosystems constitute a common natural heritage, and their sustainability must be ensured in the interests of all, including future generations.’
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur urged governments to move towards agreements and institutions that can articulate a shared responsibility at the global level to address the climate crisis and care for the water cycle as a global commons. Mr Arrojo-Agudo said:
‘This is a democratic challenge that States must take up if the human rights to water and sanitation are to be realised’.
