White paper: Water for Climate Healing - A New Water Paradigm
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic
(
Government
)
#SDGAction51664
Description
The White Paper describes the water cycle and the methodology of cooperation in restoring global water cycles, adopting and implementing effective measures at local, regional and national levels by restoring small water cycles on continents. The New Water Paradigm shift provides a global systemic solution to water climate healing and its central role in the Earth's climate system. Keeping rainwater in the land and renewal of water retention capacity of soil and landscape worldwide renew small water cycles flow and moisture, water resources, increase carbon sequestration, decrease temperatures, create new jobs, and mitigate climate risks, such as floods, droughts and sea level rise.
Citizens, local stakeholders and public administration should actively participate on the maintenance and improvement of soil and landscape ecosystem services in the context of climate change by implementing soil adaptation and management measures along with the integrated utilization of rainwater. The recovery of the global water cycle and its balance begins with the renewal of small water cycles on continents.
The key solution is not only to stop the drying of continents and the rise of ocean levels, but also to return water back to countries and continents by water cycles. It will restore soil and landscape ecosystem services using rainwater retention principles to renew the landscape's small water cycles to reduce floods, droughts and natural disasters. Paradoxically, in current water management we focus on a large water cycle and visible water in which water is replaced on average once every 3 months, in a small water cycle every 8 days with multiple benefits of plant water vapour, soil water infiltration and biotic pump.
In holistic concept WEFE NEXUS, when we speak about Water, we mean Earth's water cycles being modified by humans, by Energy we discuss distribution of solar energy as well. Renewable energy resources all depend on sun and water cycle. Energy cycles of transformation and distribution of solar energy in the troposphere and landscape surface are not integrated enough into regional, national, and global decision-making on climate change mitigation and land use management policies. The water cycle's stability depends on land use, the soil's health and moisture content, rain, and vegetation.
Key indicators of soil health and climate stability include: water retention capacity of soil and landscape structures; agrochemical parameters of the soil; the proportion of vegetation cover of the soil; soil erosion and soil sealing rate; the content of organic material in the soil; land use sensible heat impact. These indicators need to be evaluated on an annual basis, as well as their trends.
KEY SOLUTIONS
1. To recognize the fundamental importance of water in the Earth's climate system and the profound impact of land use and land changes on transforming the temperature conditions, hydrology, and biodiversity.
2. To recognize that each plot of land, each square meter or acre of land impacts on the total area of the continents of 136 million km2 (excluding ice cover) in terms of climate stability and water circulation.
3. To adopt Global Programme of Action for Land Rehydration and Restoration. Small water cycles and moisture recycling on land-will stabilize climate. The ecosystems will shut down unless we start restoring land up to scale. Conserving 30% of the land is important but insufficient to avert desertification in many regions. The individual UN Member States must reverse the tipping points through land restoration.
4. To research and monitor land use and land changes (LULC) impacts on watershed hydrology and rainwater capture and as drivers of urban and agricultural heat islands contributing to climate change. 5. To support the introduction of global, national and sectoral financial solidarity mechanisms between firms, public administrations, citizens, and land users who can rehabilitate soil and climate.
Water Holistic ICER - Independent Council for Ecosystem Restoration Biotic Greening Group Voices of Water for Climate
SDGS & Targets
Goal 2
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
2.1
By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
2.1.1
Prevalence of undernourishment
2.1.2
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)
2.2
By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons
2.2.1
Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age
2.2.2
Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for height >+2 or <-2 standard deviation from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age, by type (wasting and overweight)
2.2.3
Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage)
2.3
2.3.1
Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size
2.3.2
Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status
2.4
By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality
2.4.1
Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture
2.5
By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed
2.5.1
Number of (a) plant and (b) animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in either medium- or long-term conservation facilities
2.5.2
Proportion of local breeds classified as being at risk of extinction
2.a
2.a.1
The agriculture orientation index for government expenditures
2.a.2
Total official flows (official development assistance plus other official flows) to the agriculture sector
2.b
Correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies and all export measures with equivalent effect, in accordance with the mandate of the Doha Development Round
2.b.1
Agricultural export subsidies
2.c
Adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets and their derivatives and facilitate timely access to market information, including on food reserves, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility
2.c.1
Indicator of food price anomalies
Goal 6
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
6.1
By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
6.1.1
Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
6.2
By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations
6.2.1
Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water
6.3
By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
6.3.1
Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated
6.3.2
Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
6.4
6.4.1
Change in water-use efficiency over time
6.4.2
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources
6.5
By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
6.5.1
Degree of integrated water resources management
6.5.2
Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation
6.6
6.6.1
Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time
6.a
6.a.1
Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan
6.b
Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management
6.b.1
Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management
Goal 7
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
7.1
By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.1.1
Proportion of population with access to electricity
7.1.2
Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology
7.2
7.2.1
Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption
7.3
7.3.1
Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP
7.a
7.a.1
International financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy research and development and renewable energy production, including in hybrid systems
7.b
By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
7.b.1
Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)
Goal 13
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1
Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
13.1.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
13.1.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
13.1.3
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
13.2
Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.2.1
Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
13.2.2
Total greenhouse gas emissions per year
13.3
Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
13.3.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
13.a
Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible
13.a.1
Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025
13.b
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities
13.b.1
Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Goal 15
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
15.1
By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
15.1.1
15.1.2
15.2
By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally
15.2.1
15.3
By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world
15.3.1
15.4
By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development
15.4.1
15.4.2
15.5
Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
15.5.1
15.6
Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed
15.6.1
15.7
Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products
15.7.1
15.8
By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species
15.8.1
15.9
By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts
15.9.1
(a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting
15.a
Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems
15.a.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
15.b
Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation
15.b.1
(a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments
15.c
Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities
15.c.1
SDG 14 targets covered
Deliverables & Timeline
Gradual increase of the water retention capacity of the landscape's structures (landscape features, various small rainwater water retention holdings, restoration of surface water bodies, wetlands and river system, ecosystem use of rain water in urban areas, nature based solutions, anti-erosion measures in damaged parts of landscape, etc.) on every continent, in every country and region by up to 750 km³ altogether for repeated retention of rainwater during the year - summary target for global level. At the local level, the average need is to increase the water-holding capacity of soil and landscape structures by 50 m3 for each hectare of land, which is 100 m3 per inhabitant of the planet, every five years.
The subsequent improvement in soil health will increase the soil's ability to retain rainwater by 1,500 km³ worldwide. This is a total increase in the water retention capacity of soil and landscape's structures by 2250 km³, which will be used at least 5 times a year, which means that stakeholders will effectively return 10% of the continental rains to small water cycles annually with many synergistic effects.
Increased support for recharging groundwater reserves (140 000 m3/s), in case of achieving the target global increase in the water-holding capacity of soil and landscape structures.
Support for evaporation of water from the landscape, reduction of overheating of the landscape (sensible heat flux reduced significantly each year 300 000 TWh) and increased biomass production, in case of achieving the target global increase in the water-holding capacity of soil and landscape structure.
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
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Entity
Region
- Europe
Other beneficiaries
Land owners and users. Residents of villages and towns, Municipalities, cities and regions, Ministries. Research and academic institutions.
More information
Countries
Contact Information
Terézia, Ms
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