Major Group: Business & Industry
Thank you Mr Chairman,
My name is Gerard Payen, president of the International Federation of Private Water Operators,
speaking on behalf of business and industry groups represented here at CSD16.
Access to water & sanitation is important for health, dignity, education, protection of the
environment but also for economic development.
This is why the business community as a whole needs the MDGs to be met. This community includes
companies of all sizes from the very smallest local family businesses up to the largest international
companies. Businesses can not thrive in societies that fail. The health, dignity and lifestyles of nearly
half of the world population are restricted by inadequate sanitation. This also means that half the
world's potential markets are restricted too.
Business & Industry needs the development of access to drinking water and sanitation to be
accelerated. We also need more ambitious Water and Sanitation policies.
Acceleration because the acceleration that was agreed at CSD13 is not yet apparent. Increasing the
pace is more urgent than it was 3 years ago.
More ambition
- On the water side, people expect a better access to drinking water than the MDG target. They dream
of not having to queue to fetch water and of not having to carry water to home every day. To-day 3
billion people, nearly 1 out of every 2 families do not have tapwater at home or nearby.
- On the sanitation side, it is urgent to develop more projects with more ambitious targets. People do
not only need toilets. They also need their solid and liquid waste to be removed from their homes; they
also need to be protected from contamination by neighbours. Their waste waters need to be collected.
In many parts of the world, pollution needs to be removed from these waste waters to protect the
environment and the people living downstream.
These challenges are not well monitored by the world community. More ambitious goals are necessary
to master all sanitation needs. Integrated Sanitation Management (ISM) is necessary to manage
water all these challenges.
Private professionals are ready to contribute to these more ambitious goals.
Increasing Water scarcity in many countries makes it necessary to ensure that available water
resources are allocated equitably between the various categories of users: population,
industries, agriculture, and power generation.
To satisfy all needs in a coherent manner it is increasingly necessary for responsible and accountable
authorities to manage the various demands and to make sure that locally available water resources
are allocated equitably and used reasonably in the interest of the community.
Thank you,
My name is Gerard Payen, president of the International Federation of Private Water Operators,
speaking on behalf of business and industry groups represented here at CSD16.
Access to water & sanitation is important for health, dignity, education, protection of the
environment but also for economic development.
This is why the business community as a whole needs the MDGs to be met. This community includes
companies of all sizes from the very smallest local family businesses up to the largest international
companies. Businesses can not thrive in societies that fail. The health, dignity and lifestyles of nearly
half of the world population are restricted by inadequate sanitation. This also means that half the
world's potential markets are restricted too.
Business & Industry needs the development of access to drinking water and sanitation to be
accelerated. We also need more ambitious Water and Sanitation policies.
Acceleration because the acceleration that was agreed at CSD13 is not yet apparent. Increasing the
pace is more urgent than it was 3 years ago.
More ambition
- On the water side, people expect a better access to drinking water than the MDG target. They dream
of not having to queue to fetch water and of not having to carry water to home every day. To-day 3
billion people, nearly 1 out of every 2 families do not have tapwater at home or nearby.
- On the sanitation side, it is urgent to develop more projects with more ambitious targets. People do
not only need toilets. They also need their solid and liquid waste to be removed from their homes; they
also need to be protected from contamination by neighbours. Their waste waters need to be collected.
In many parts of the world, pollution needs to be removed from these waste waters to protect the
environment and the people living downstream.
These challenges are not well monitored by the world community. More ambitious goals are necessary
to master all sanitation needs. Integrated Sanitation Management (ISM) is necessary to manage
water all these challenges.
Private professionals are ready to contribute to these more ambitious goals.
Increasing Water scarcity in many countries makes it necessary to ensure that available water
resources are allocated equitably between the various categories of users: population,
industries, agriculture, and power generation.
To satisfy all needs in a coherent manner it is increasingly necessary for responsible and accountable
authorities to manage the various demands and to make sure that locally available water resources
are allocated equitably and used reasonably in the interest of the community.
Thank you,