Perspectivas de la Calidad del Agua

Acaba de publicarse "Perspectiva de la calidad del agua" (o Water Quality Outlook, su título en inglés) del Programa GEMS/Agua de las Naciones Unidas.

A pesar de que en algunas regiones del mundo se han producido mejoras en la calidad del agua, aún persisten graves problemas que deben ser abordados para alcanzar los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio (ODM), según esta publicación, el nuevo informe del Programa GEMS/Agua del Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (PNUMA).

Esta publicación presenta un panorama general de los asuntos claves de la calidad del agua en relación con el logro de los objetivos internacionales en materia de agua, saneamiento y biodiversidad. La publicación destaca importantes factores emergentes que amenazan la calidad del agua, como el cambio climático, las especies invasivas, los agentes patógenos transmitidos por el agua o los contaminantes químicos.

PREFACE

This report presents a snapshot of global water
quality issues as they relate to achieving the
internationally agreed goals on water, sanitation
and biodiversity. Evidence suggests that there
have been improvements in the quality of water
in some parts of the world. However, there are
serious problems that must be addressed for
health and prosperity to be reached universally.

There are five key points and questions
that we illustrate in the pages ahead:

1. One of the key considerations in meeting
the Millennium Development Goals is
that water quality must be improved
at all levels;

2. A critical issue is the quality of inland
waters: is it improving or deteriorating?;

3. Appropriate responses to water
environment problems are opportunities
for development;

4. Governments share the responsibility for
assessing the global water environment
in a regular manner; and

5. Future needs for water quality monitoring.

Although many challenges remain to properly
protect aquatic ecosystems, success can be
reached with planning, political and institutional
will, and financial and technical resources.
The GEMS/Water Programme provides a vital
contribution to monitoring progress towards
meeting the MDGs on water, sanitation and

aquatic biodiversity. Information on water quality
can also contribute to the United Nations World
Water Assessment Programme (UN-WWAP),
which was established in 2000 in responding to
the relevant decision of the UN Commission on
Sustainable Development. UN-WWAP is a
collective response of the 24 entities comprising
UN-Water with a view to assist countries in
reaching their commitments in key water-related
challenge areas. It creates a sustainable
mechanism for reporting on progress made in
these areas through the production of a series of
World Water Development Reports (WWDRs).

The target audience for this publication includes
decision makers and practitioners working to
improve integrated water resource management
at all levels. We trust that readers will find this
report interesting and useful, and we welcome
your comments and feedback.