Cultural Diversity, Water Resources, and Global Environmental Crises: Emerging trends and

implications for sustainable futures Fifth World Water ForumTopic 6.5.3 PresentationMarch 21, 2009

Barbara Rose Johnston

World War II - year 2000World War II - year 2000

54,000 large dams built… 54,000 large dams built…

20 % of the world's electricity 20 % of the world's electricity

10% of the world's food grown with 10% of the world's food grown with irrigation.irrigation.

Global consequences of large dams and water diversions:

• To date, 60% of the worlds major rivers To date, 60% of the worlds major rivers have been dammed, flooding some 1% of have been dammed, flooding some 1% of the earth’s surface, including the most the earth’s surface, including the most productive agricultural lands in the world.productive agricultural lands in the world.

• endangering or caused the extinction of one endangering or caused the extinction of one third of the world's fresh water fish species.third of the world's fresh water fish species.

• decimating downstream fisheries, waterfowl decimating downstream fisheries, waterfowl and mammals of the world's deltas. and mammals of the world's deltas.

IndiaIndia, 1945-2000: , 1945-2000: 60 million60 million forcefully evicted from rural forcefully evicted from rural villages, majority without adequate compensation, to make villages, majority without adequate compensation, to make

way for water and other infrastructure development. way for water and other infrastructure development.

ChinaChina, by 2000: , by 2000: 60 million60 million displaced by water displaced by water development.development.

Other nationsOther nations, by 2000: , by 2000: 40 million40 million forcibly evicted to make forcibly evicted to make way for large dam development. way for large dam development.

Each year of this century has seen another 15 millionEach year of this century has seen another 15 million people forcibly displaced by large dam development. people forcibly displaced by large dam development.

… more than … more than 1/4 of a billion people1/4 of a billion people have suffered the loss have suffered the loss of homes, community, traditional livelihood in the name of of homes, community, traditional livelihood in the name of

water/power developmentwater/power development

Post-project assessment of dam development by resettlement Post-project assessment of dam development by resettlement experts: not a single case where development refugees now experts: not a single case where development refugees now experience an equivalent, let alone, improved quality of life.experience an equivalent, let alone, improved quality of life.

What has happened to these millions of people?

Lacking fertile lands and the means to reproduce a way life, many suffer in horrific poverty in resettlement compounds and camps or migrate as development refugees from rural to urban settings within their nation and abroad.

Development-induced displacement is a major cause of global poverty.

Who are these displaced people?

They are fishers, farmers, pastoralists: people who live off the land and have done so for generations in largely self-sustaining communities.

The majority of development-displaced people are members of ethnic minority or indigenous groups whose society, culture, and ways of life differs from the national norm.

Pueblo Viejo, Guatemala -1978

Rio Negro , Guatemala -1977

Chixoy Dam, Guatemala

1996 - Installation of automatic sensors to open flood gates

Wars in biodiversity hotspots…Wars in biodiversity hotspots… 80% of the conflicts in the past 50 years 80% of the conflicts in the past 50 years have taken place directly within biodiversity hotspotshave taken place directly within biodiversity hotspotsHanson et al, Wars in biodiversity hotspots, Conservation Biology, February 2009Hanson et al, Wars in biodiversity hotspots, Conservation Biology, February 2009

Conclusion

The global implications of a massive increase in the number of dams and water diversions includes threats to and loss of

a huge proportion of the worlds remaining cultural and biodiversity.

How will people respond to these threats?

In the event that proposals are funded and built, where will these people go?

How will they survive?

What consequences will we see in global loss of food security and health, and the escalation in poverty, misery, and violence?

How does climate change factor in?

The primary goal of water The primary goal of water development and management development and management

should be to sustain human should be to sustain human environmental needs now and in environmental needs now and in

the future.the future.This means we need to develop This means we need to develop and manage water in ways that and manage water in ways that

first and foremostfirst and foremostprotect and provide the means toprotect and provide the means tosupport sustainable ways of life.support sustainable ways of life.

Recommendations:Recommendations:

Water development must comply with national law, Water development must comply with national law, international human rights norms, and international international human rights norms, and international conventions …conventions …

- recognition of and protection for “off the map” areas -- - recognition of and protection for “off the map” areas -- national parks, biodiversity hotspots, sacred sites, World national parks, biodiversity hotspots, sacred sites, World Heritage SitesHeritage Sites

- respect the human right to water- respect the human right to water

- implement indigenous peoples' rights, including the right - implement indigenous peoples' rights, including the right to free, prior, informed consent; to free, prior, informed consent;

- and, insure the right for ALL affected people to access - and, insure the right for ALL affected people to access information about projects, to meaningfully participate in information about projects, to meaningfully participate in decision making, and to share in the benefits of decision making, and to share in the benefits of development.development.