Water Ethics in Practice

David Groenfeldt, Director Water-Culture Institute 14 March, 2012 dgroenfeldt@waterculture.org

Outline of this Presentation

1.Orientation to Water Ethics (WHY)

1.Domains of Water Ethics (WHERE / WHEN)

1.Categories of Water Ethics (WHAT)

1.Practical Application of Ethics to Water (HOW / WHO)

1. Orientation to Water Ethics

Water Ethics = Values that define how we ought act…

in relation to water and water ecosystems

In relation to people (with regard to water)

In relation to God (religious view)

Ethics are intrinsic to water decisionsDecisions have a value dimension

Values/ethics are sometimes explicit but usually implicit

Two basic approaches to working with ethicsDESCRIBE the values/ethics that are operating in a given

country, community, project, basin, etc.

PRESCRIBE the values/ethics that should be adopted in order to meet certain goals (usually “sustainability”)

2. Domains of Water Ethics

2.1 Managing Water EcosystemsRivers, lakes, wetlands

Aquifers

2.2 Managing Water UseAgriculture

Urban / domestic

Industrial

2.3 Managing Water GovernanceParticipation

Equity

2.1 Ethical Choices in Ecosystem Management

Physical Manipulation Channel straightening (Rhine, Rio Grande)

Levees (“Room for Rivers”)

Dams and reservoirs (Mekong)

Impacts to Flow Regime / QuantityEnvironmental Flow concepts (Santa Fe River; TNC Water

Funds)

Impacts to Water Quality (Territ’Eau)

Water quality standards

Principle of “Polluter pays”

Jetty Jacks along the Rio Grande, New Mexico

2.2 Ethics of Water Use

Agriculture (agro-system services)Culture heritage

Social welfare (health, nutrition, employment)

Environmental sustainability

Urban / Domestic Water conservation / reuse

Access (Human right to water & sanitation)

Industrial / ExtractiveWater footprints (quantity and quality)

Community stewardship

Cross-sectoral allocationIWRM

2.3 Ethics of Water Governance

IrrigationFarmer/community participation (PIM – INWEPF)

Water Supply and SanitationHuman right to water/sanitation (Butterfly Effect)

Local vs centralized systems (Eau Vive – Mali)

Watersheds and River BasinsRiver Basin Approaches (WFD, Wladir River Commission)

Community Watershed Groups (Jal Bhagirathi Foundation)

Participatory irrigation management, Nepal

3. Categories of Water Ethics

Social EthicsEquity and empowerment

Right to water, sanitation and health

Cultural EthicsRespect for cultural diversity and customary rights

Cultural heritage and identity

Economic EthicsFrugality and productivity

Economic security

Environmental EthicsEcosystem restoration

Rights of Nature

4. Applying Ethics to Water Management

4.1 Concept / Theory

4.2 Ethics in the Water Solutions

4.3 Ethics in the Green Economy

4.4 Conclusions about Applying Ethics

4.1 How Can Ethics Be Used in Practice?

Motivate ActionSymbols of religion, economics, or other shared goals

Build Consensus / Resolve ConflictsIdentify and clarify shared values

Set the framework for governancePrinciples underlying laws and regulations

Education and knowledge managementEthics as a type of knowledge about water

4.2 Ethics in the Water Solutions

Explicit Use of EthicsEducation and awareness-raising

Social and environmental solutions

Implicit Use of EthicsSetting goals / objectives

Planning / Defining the problem>Territ’Eau Framework for pollution control>Providing drinking water (Gunfus project)>Developing planning capacity

Consensus-building / mediation

4.3 Water Ethics in the Green Economy:An Alternative to “Payment for Ecosystem Services”

“Payment” is a management toolLet’s call it “management” instead of “payment”

“Ecosystem services” are defined through a lens of cultural values (ethics)

Which services are given priority? (a cultural and ethical judgment)

Integrate the management of ecosystem services with the management of other benefit categories (social, cultural)

Let’s call these benefits “ethical services”

“Management for Ethical Services” = MES

4.4 Conclusions: Quoi Faire?

Make the ethics explicit;

Describe and analyze

Promote “ethics” as a factor in water management;

Develop tools;For analyzing ethicsFor using ethics (mediation, decision-making)

Facilitate a learning process

Water Ethics Network (http://waterethics.org)

worldwaterforum6.orgsolutionsforwater.org

MERCI / THANK YOU