A call for integrated upland management
16.04.2015
Water, in light of changing climate, growing populations and increasing pressures from conflicting users, has become a popular topic. The release in April 2015 of two major reports, ‘Towards a water and food secure future’ by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the World Water Council (WWC) and ‘Tropical Forests: a review’ by the International Sustainability Unit of the Prince’s Charities, highlights the need to address water management through integrative policy, investment frameworks and practice.
But what does this have to do with forests and mountains? At least one-third of the world’s largest cities rely on forested watersheds as a significant source for their drinking water. Moreover, mountain areas provide 60-80 percent of the world’s water resources, but are extremely vulnerable to climate change, which is evident in retreating glaciers.
Although the FAO/WWC report focuses on agriculture and the report by the Prince’s Charities is a review on the state of tropical forests, the common thread is water: an ecosystem service that is often taken for granted and, yet, requires attention in the areas of scientific research, policy, investment and land management, before it is too late. Both reports address the role of managing forests and watersheds in maintaining water supply.
“This is an opportune time to re-visit our public policies, investment frameworks, governance structures and institutions,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo at the 7th World Water Forum in Daegu & Gyeongbuku, South Korea. “We are entering the post-2015 development era and we should mark it with solid commitments.”
The importance of water and the need to manage forested and mountain landscapes to ensure water quality and quantity is why there is a need to bring the forests and water to the forefront.
Read more
See the Forests and Water Agenda
By Elaine Springgay, FAO Forestry Officer
Photo: S.M Bukhari
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