Country: Kuwait
Committee: Environmental
School: Williamston High School
Topic: Access to Water
Delegate: Trucy Phan
Access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation are global issues that affect millions of adults and children in all corners of the globe. On a global scale, 663 million people lack easy access to usable water, 2.4 billion people do not have hygienic sanitation facilities, and 1 out of 4 health care facilities lack basic water services. Many people must walk long distances everyday to retrieve clean water. Consequently, this can negatively impact education and equality for women and children, since they are the main retrievers of water. Roughly 3.36 million children and 13.54 million adult females had the task of water collection in households. In 2015, as part of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations, the UN hoped nations would work together in order to work towards access to water and sanitation for all people. Other targets include improvement in water quality through pollution reduction and improve water systems for delivery for those who need it. Access to sterile water is also crucial to adapting to climate change and preventing the spread of diseases, especially in areas with inferior sanitation conditions. Diseases caused by poor water quality is one of the main causes of death in children ages five and below. Waterborne and diarrheal diseases, such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio, are all linked to consumption of contaminated water. These issues impacting health, equality and loss of biodiversity are especially prominent in low-income countries. Because access to clean water is a fundamental human right, all nations must cooperate to find a solution that will address all the concerns regarding lack of water, lack of sanitation and disruption in the natural water cycle.
Kuwait would like to find a solution to address the numerous factors and obstacles preventing people from accessing clean water. As a result of no permanent rivers or lakes, Kuwait’s only natural water resource is groundwater, with almost no internally renewable sources. The country is dependent on desalinated seawater, the scarce natural groundwater and treated municipal wastewater for their freshwaters. Kuwait’s meager supply of groundwater is deteriorating in quantity and quality as a result of continuous pumping and high extraction rates. World Resources Institute published a report in 2015 that ranked Kuwait among the nine highest ranked countries that may face an “extremely high water risk” by 2040 as a result of their declining freshwater sources and low rainfall. The government has contributed billions of dollars in order to build and improve water treatment plants. In 2013, Khalid Al Barrak, head of the KISR’s Water Science Department, proposed that the country monitor and cut down on its level of water consumption. The government and environmentalists have also encouraged the investment of solar powered desalination which would help with the water and pollution issue. Kuwait has also been encouraging the increase of water resources by utilizing waste water for use in agricultural irrigation, greenery landscaping and the development of forested areas.
Furthermore, Kuwait would like to work with other nations and contribute ideas to create a resolution to resolve this social and environmental crisis. Improvements and utilisation of water resources and water plants is necessary for sustainable development. Because this is also a global crisis, Kuwait believes that there will be several different methods that may help with the issue overall. Countries can promote the urgent need to cut down on consumption of freshwater and educate the public about the significance of water and its preservation. Kuwait also believes that money should be put in to develop new conservation and desalination technologies. Governments can educate citizens about various irrigation and agricultural practices which could improve issues relating to food and water sources. Kuwait would support guidelines that promote improvements in water infrastructure and cooperation of countries to discuss water security. Kuwait expects to work for Egypt, Syria, the United States, and Japan.
- Trucy Phan
