Special Issue-Abstracts 13 th Asian Bioethics Conference and the 6 th UNESCO Asia-Pacific School of Ethics Roundtable Large dams in North East India: Role of sustainable technology, dialogue and ethics in conflict resolution

H Dato', Ku Jaafar, Ku Shaari, Abhik Gupta
2012 Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics EJAIB   unpublished
Asia faces major water crisis that threatens, not only its socioeconomic progress and environmental sustainability, but also its national security. Asia's rising populations, economic development and agricultural activities has placed enormous demand on the steady supply of water. Rivers and water basins in Asia are the 166 Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics 22 (September 2012) main sources of water for human consumptions, agriculture and industries. Many of these water sources
more » ... are shared by several countries-often causing competition among riparian countries to secure the supply of water. The increasing pressure on countries to secure water supply for their own consumption often comes in disputation with other countries sharing the same sources. Currently, many countries in Asia face water disputes with their neighbours especially over the access of water sources and the control of water basins. It should be noted that Asia is the fastest-developing continent and home for some three-fifths of world population but it has less freshwater per-capita than any other continent. In addition, water efficiency and productivity in Asia are the lowest in the world. The paper examines the nature of water scarcity and insecurity in Asia, and how water is increasing being securitized and politicized by the stakeholders. It also promotes the inculcation of acceptable 'water ethics' in water management activities and the use of conflict resolution mechanism to reduce competition and tension among stakeholders.
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