ETHICS OF WATER: RAHAMAN, M.M. AND VARIS, O. (2005)
ETHICS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Ethics are moral principles and values that govern the actions and decisions of an individual or group.They serve as guidelines on how to act rightly and justly when faced with moral dilemmas. Ethicaldilemmas arise in situation, when
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Each alternative choice or behaviour has some undesirable elements due to potentially negativeethical or personal consequences.
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Right or wrong cannot be clearly identified.Ethical behaviour comprises of honesty, trust, treating others fairly and loyalty. One commonlyaccepted ethical cornerstone is “
Always treat others, as you would like them to treat you
” [4].The Brundtland report [5], defined the principles of sustainable development such as: “
The earth is onebut the world is not. We all depend on one biosphere for sustaining our lives. Yet each community,each country, strive for survival and prosperity with little regards for its impacts on other
” and“
Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
.” Now sustainable development means not only development that takes account of the needs of future generations, but also requires us to share the “ecological space” of the planet more fairlybetween people and countries.Thus sustainable development requires ethical framework in the management of all transboundarynatural resources of a finite nature. The equitable distribution and access to water, the most precioustransboundary resource, is our basic fundamental human right as well as our economical, social andcultural asset. We have to find out common ethical principles that will balance among water uses,among the traditional and technological solutions and among regions. We have to use our wisdom forsharing, caring and conserving our water resources in a new light of morality. We have to ensure everypeople in this world that we are treating others, as we would like to be treated by others. To achievesustainable water resources development, we have to set ethical framework by using our sense of responsibility, honesty, transparency and loyalty.
UNESCO INITIATIVES TOWARDS WATER ETHICS
Although water ethics are now becoming important for water management, there is lack of discourse onwater ethics. The World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology, known asCOMEST set by UNESCO in 1997, played pioneer role in this regard. COMEST seeks to motivatescientists by adding an ethical dimension to their intellectual freedom. A COMEST sub-commission onthe ethics of fresh water was established in October 1999. It tried to find out common ethical principlesrelated to water, which can be accepted as applicable in all geographies, in all stages of economicdevelopment and for all time. In 25
th
October 2000, Lord Selborne, Chairperson of the COMEST sub-commission on the ethics of fresh water, published his historical “The Ethics of Freshwater Use: ASurvey”. The survey draws on a rich and varied body of discussion and documentation to provide anoverview of the practical areas of concern so as to move relevant ethical stances. The aim of the surveyis to help lay a foundation of trust, justice and equity in the availability of and access to freshwaterresources for the entire community of nations [2].The Universal ethical principles that are directly acceptable to the issue of water were pointed out inthe paper. These are as follows:
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