Soon We Will War for Water

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The Fifth World Water Forum began this week in Istanbul. 97.5 percent of the worlds water stays in our oceans, a further 1.75 percent makes-up the polar icecaps which are melting and raising sea levels to gradually claim homelands and inundate fresh water aquifers. Global Warming will dry out rainforest's, rivers and make huge areas arid, speeding desertification. 70 percent of all groundwater and freshwater supplies are used for irrigation. So little or no freshwater will satisfy the thirst of the forecast nine billion world population in 2050 – some five billion people will likely struggle and war for water!

The week-long forum is held every three years and will discuss the future of the 'commodity' that is so much more vital than oil or gas, gold or diamonds. The forum theme this year is 'Bridging Divides for Water'. It will address global change and the protection of water resources.

The conference is expected to produce a joint declaration, The Istanbul Consensus which will try to settle the simple question: is water a 'commodity' that profit-oriented private concerns can trade in, or a human right to be guaranteed by public institutions? Who owns it? Who should manage it?

Groups are planning anti-Forum demonstrations and will likely riot against Turkish security forces. Tens of thousands marched in protest against the fourth WWF in Mexico City three years ago.

The Forum will seek to be green, in line with recommendations of the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October last year. Delegates are advised to travel by train, boat or bus for short distances, use recyclable water bottles, go for electronic documents rather than printed ones, use both sides of paper, lower the thermostat in hotel rooms, turn off the tap when brushing teeth, take showers rather than baths, asks that towels and bedding not be changed every day, and use stairs rather than elevators.

Organisers have committed to planting a tree for each of the 20,000 participants. Trees need water, don't they?!