27 Jun 2007 - Gland, Switzerland
– Massive engineering schemes to divert
and even reverse the flow of rivers undermine
entire ecosystems and can damage the livelihoods
of the very poor, says WWF in a new report.
The report — Pipedreams? Interbasin transfers
and water shortages — shows that water transfers
between rivers are inevitably costly schemes
that damage the natural environment, interrupting
flows between rivers and compromising their
ability to provide food and water.
Along with dams and other highly technical
approaches to make up for water shortages,
transfer schemes entail elaborate systems
of canals, pipes and dredging over long
distances. Already less than 40 per cent
of the world’s rivers over 1,000km long
remain free-flowing and this fact along
with the water crisis is no mere coincidence.
“An overemphasis on engineering to address
growing water needs is an artificial way
to fix the water crisis,” says Jamie Pittock,
Director of WWF’s Global Freshwater Programme.
“More lasting, is a commitment to healthy
rivers and wetlands as the first step to
water conservation, complemented by other
methods as sustainable as possible and only
if necessary.”
The report explores schemes completed in
Australia, South Africa and Spain and others
proposed in Brazil, China, Greece and Peru.
It is worth noting that hundreds more exist
including some that are not publicly known
because of their often controversial nature.
Almost all cases share common flaws: cost
overruns, insufficient transparency, irreversible
damage to rivers, lack of stakeholder consultation,
displacement of communities, planned benefits
falling short, and a lack of exploration
of alternative sustainable options.
“In many cases, water transfer schemes
are a ‘pipedream’, reflecting simplistic
thinking that transferring water between
rivers will solve the problem without bringing
new ones,” adds Pittock.
"The solutions to the water crisis
must be rooted in conserving wetlands while
properly assessing and managing local demands
for water.”
“We must also use traditional local water
management methods where suitable and recycle
waste water," he stresses. "Basin
transfers must be the last resort after
all other sustainable approaches have been
explored.”
Lisa Hadeed, Communications Manager
WWF Global Freshwater Programme
Moira O’Brien-Malone, Head of Press
WWF International
