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Statement
by the Republic of Cyprus at the UN Conference on Water for Sustainable
Development |
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Mr. President, At the outset, I would like to
thank the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Tajikistan for
hosting this long-overdue conference. We all agree that a water crisis is approaching, or is already there in different parts of the world, and it will affect economic development, food security, health, ecosystems, but mostly it will disproportionately stress the poorest and the most vulnerable. We are at a critical juncture since the world is increasingly affected by climate change and a growing population. These key challenges need to be
addressed at a global level; a more inclusive and comprehensive water
governance is needed, with a strong focus on human rights. We need to
scale-up our level of consciousness on the interdependencies and the
complexity of water challenges across sectors and find ways to integrate the
right to a healthy environment, as well as the right to water and sanitation.
In that regard, Cyprus fully supports the central role that the UN can play
in addressing water related challenges around the world. We need a
system-wide approach of the UN and for that we need to see soon the
appointment of a UN Special Envoy for Water. The importance of water safety
and conservation is evident to Cyprus, since water scarcity has always been a
major challenge. Cyprus is among the European Union Member States with the
least available water per capita. The region of the Eastern Mediterranean and
the Middle East has been classified as a Global Climate Change Hot Spot and
Cyprus is already witnessing the impacts of climate change, including a
significant decrease in precipitation and an increase in average temperature.
Projections estimate an exacerbation of the current situation with adverse
effects on many sectors, including forest ecosystems, water resources and
biodiversity. Urgent and sustained action is needed to preserve the health,
prosperity, and well-being of people in our region and all over the world. Cyprus’ water policy has been
driven by the European Union legislation, which provides a framework for
sustainable water management and for achieving a good status of inland
surface waters, coastal waters and groundwater. In order to address the
problem, Cyprus promotes the use of non-conventional water resources, such as
desalination and water reuse. Specifically, with the use of desalination
units, large urban, suburban and tourist centers do not depend on rainfall
for their water needs. Moreover, water reuse provides significant protection
against drought and reduces the dependency of the water supply on rainfall.
It also contributes to the country’s strategic goal regarding climate change
adaptation and risk prevention. Furthermore, water pricing
incentives have been in place for many years now, contributing to the optimum
use of water. I would also like to mention
that through the European Neighborhood Policy and the European Union
Enlargement Policy, Cyprus is supporting third countries in water management
and sanitation through bilateral assistance programmes or regional
initiatives. Given our long-standing and
continuous commitment to sustainable development, we are ready to strengthen
our cooperation and partnership at all levels in order to achieve water
related goals such as those included in the 2030 Agenda Both, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, highlight the
cross-sectoral role of water and the strong interlinkages between water and
many policies, including inter alia, climate change, security, energy,
health, and food. Furthermore, the implementation of the objectives of the
International Decade for Action 2018 – 2028, as declared by the UN General
Assembly, provide a greater focus on sustainable development and integrated
water resources management, in order to achieve the internationally agreed
water-related goals and targets. The need to secure the
necessary financial resources for the implementation of Sustainable
Development Goals is urgent. Priority should be given to financing the
construction, operation, and maintenance of robust infrastructure for the
provision of water and sanitation services, in a climate -resilient manner. Financing, nevertheless, is
more effective when it is based on data, facts, and information. There is
therefore a need to strengthen forecasting and early warning systems, as well
as to invest in disaster risk prevention and reduction. Innovation in technology is
also critical. To ensure a water-balance in drought affected regions, it is
necessary to adopt more effective and climate-resilient water and sanitation
management solutions, by incorporating the optimum use of non-conventional
water resources, such as desalination and the reuse of treated urban waste
water. Cyprus is optimistic that by
acting collectively and by fostering cooperative approaches to address common
challenges, we can address the challenges of the effects of climate crisis.
Our vision is for a water secure world with global access to water and
sanitation and a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable
future. Thank you. (MH) |
