携手合作 探索人与水可持续的未来

联合国教科文组织 Jayakumar Ramasamy博士

在地球上，所有生命都要依赖水。作为一种宝贵的自然资源，水不仅是生态系统的基本要素，而且也是人类社会赖以生存和发展所不可或缺的。在全球总的水储量中，我们人类可用的淡水只占很小的部分（0.5%）在如此低的比例之下，淡水资源意义重大，它要满足加速增长的全球人口、工业化和城市化发展等的需求。它也日益成为现代社会赖以维系的生命线。不幸的是，诸如气候变化、水污染等挑战正在威胁着地球生命的存活；具讽刺意味的是，这些挑战恰恰是由人类活动所创造出来的。于是，我们所面对的社会图景就是，人类在某种程度上正在使其自身的生存和发展的可持续性处于危险之中。

作为世界上最大的发展中国家之一，中国在过去的几十年中经济成就斐然。我们在庆幸经济取得成功的同时，也在承受环境的代价，特别是在节水和保护等方面压力巨大。中国的人均水资源量只有2300立方米——这只是世界平均水平的四分之一。令人忧虑的是，水污染和气候变化还在进一步压缩这种稀缺资源的可获得性。面对如此严峻的供水形势，中国迫切需要改善和提高水的利用效率，持续减少污水排放量，寻找恰当的应对气候变化的水资源供求战略。节约和保护水资源，是中国可持续发展的一个重要方面。

着力于转变这一社会图景，我们很高兴地注意到中国政府作出的坚定承诺。据我们所知，政府已经投入巨资，为全国人民特别是偏僻乡村地区的、生活贫困的人们，提供和守护安全的饮用水。着眼于提高水效率的科技研究，被列为国家级研究所和大学的优先科研项目。群众运动蓬勃发展，提高了公众对于人和水之间紧密联系的认识，水务市场化道路在摸索中，例如某些地区和省份间的水权交易正在试点。

作为联合国的一个专业性的教育和水科学推广的技术部门，联合国教科文组织享有同中国政府展开全方位合作的便利条件。特别让我们感到自豪的是，联合国教科文组织和中国教育部、香格里拉学会等，在长江流域共同发起了水教育项目。这个项目的目标人群是年轻人，他们是未来的领导者。在节约和保护水方面，如果不能将其正确地传授给下一代，我们已有的知识、努力和经验将大打折扣。更为重要的是，我们有责任去动员，并不断加强年轻人的主人翁感，让他们认识到人与水应和谐相处而不要制造麻烦。

在过去几年中，联合国教科文组织全力参与“长江水学校”的工作，并通过诸如联合国“可持续发展教育十年”及“生命之水十年”等平台多方位地推介项目，提高其知名度和影响力。项目各方的共同努力及香格里拉学会这一团队的专业精神、无私奉献和辛苦工作，是水教育项目能够取得巨大成功的根本。没有这些，我们就不会在这里相聚。在表示祝贺的同时，我们将再次为项目的成功全力投入。请相信，联合国教科文组织会继续与你们站在一起，为项目的开展提供所有必要的支持。我们非常愿意与你们继续合作，为人与水可持续的未来共同探索。

自然科学处 联合国教科文组织 北京办公室

Message to the Shangri-la Institute

All lives on earth depend on water.As a precious kind of natural resources, water is not only the essence of ecosystem, but also indispensible for the survival and development of human society.Out of the world’s total water stock, freshwater accessible to humans beings counts for only a small part (0.5%).With such a ratio,freshwater resources bear the vital responsibilities to feed a world of accelerated population growth, industrialization and urbanization development.Increasingly, it has been the lifeline supporting sustained modern prosperity.Unfortunately, survival of the lifeline is being threatened by challenges such as climate change and water pollution,the creation of which has been ironically attributed to the activities of human beings.This has given a picture where humans, in certain extent, are jeopardizing sustainability of survival and development of their own.

China, as one of the largest developing countries in the world, has reached enormous economic success in the past decades.At the same time of celebrating the economic success, environmental costs, especially those in regards to water saving and protection, have emerged as well in the same course.Per capita water resources in China is 2,300 cubic meters--only a forth of the world’s average level.Moreover, water pollution and climate change are bringing a trend of reduction for the limited availability.With a tight water budget, it is urgent for China to improve water use efficiencies, continue to reduce the amount of water pollution, while explore sound adaptation strategies of water resources to climate change.Saving and protection of water resources has become necessary for sustainable development in China.

To change the picture, we are glad to notice firm commitment of the Chinese government.It is to our knowledge that huge amount of government fund has been invested to provide and safeguard safe drinking water for all, and particularly those in the remote poor rural areas.Researches on science and technology for improved water efficiency have taken a prioritized position in national research institutes and universities.Public campaigns have been launched in hopes of improving awareness of citizens on the close link between man and water, and market approach has been piloted between regions and provinces on the transaction of water rights.

As a UN technical agency with specialized expertise on education and water sciences, UNESCO is privileged to be with the Chinese government for its entire efforts.Plus,what makes us particularly proud is that, UNESCO, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Shangri-la Institute and other stakeholders, has managed to develop water education programme in the Yangtze River basin.Targets of this programme are the youth who are leaders of the future.Our knowledge, efforts, and experiences for water saving and protection will be greatly undermined if the spirit is not passed to the next generations.More important, it is also our duty to call up and continuously strengthen among the youth the sense of ownership for a world where man and water live harmoniously but not in troubles.We believe it is these ideas that turn the project even more meaningful not only for the youth in Yangtze,but also for China, and perhaps the world sharing the same task of sustainable development.

Over the past years, UNESCO has dedicated itself to the programme, promoting its profile upon multi-lateral tracks such as the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), and the Decade of Water for Life.Nevertheless, all such efforts will not belie the professionalism, commitment and hard works of Shangri- la Institute (with leadership of Mme.LIU Yun Hua).All these have been fundamental for marvelous success of the water education programme, without which we are not able to gather here.At this time of congratulations,we would also like to commit again our whole hearted support for the continuous success of this project.Please be assured UNESCO would remain at your side, providing all necessary supports.It would be to our best pleasure that we could continue our cooperation to explore together a sustainable future between man and water.

Natural Sciences Sector

UNESCO Office Beijing