Bill Text: MS SC608 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designate March 22, 2010, as "Water Day in Mississippi" to focus on the importance and management of freshwater.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2010-04-23 - Died In Committee [SC608 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-SC608-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Dawkins
Senate Concurrent Resolution 608
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING WORLD WATER DAY AS A MEANS OF FOCUSING ON THE IMPORTANCE AND THE MANAGEMENT OF FRESHWATER AND DESIGNATING MARCH 22, 2010, AS "WATER DAY IN MISSISSIPPI."
WHEREAS, World Water Day is held annually on March 22nd as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating March 22, 1993, as the first World Water Day; and
WHEREAS, each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. UN-Water is dedicating World Water Day 2010 to the theme of water quality, reflecting its importance alongside quantity of the resource in water management. The World Water Day 2010 and its campaign is designed to:
· Raise awareness about sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being through addressing the increasing water quality challenges in water management; and
· Raise the profile of water quality by encouraging governments, organizations, communities and individuals around the world to actively engage in proactively addressing water quality, e.g. in pollution prevention, cleanup and restoration.
World Water Day 2010 activities will aim to communicate messages on water quality, ecosystems and human well-being; and
WHEREAS, nearly 40% of the world's population lives in river and lake basins shared by two or more countries. The world's 263 transboundary basins include the territory of 145 countries and cover nearly half of the Earth's land surface. Great reservoirs of freshwater also move silently below borders in underground aquifers. There are over 270 known transboundary aquifers; and
WHEREAS, every government wants to ensure that its citizens have the water they need to lead healthy, happy and productive lives. As populations and economies grow, national demands for freshwater increase; and
WHEREAS, there is enough freshwater to meet everyone's needs. But the world's supply of freshwater is not evenly distributed and often not appropriately managed. Many countries are already facing increasing scarcity of freshwater. By 2025, 1800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population could be under stress conditions; and
WHEREAS, climate change will certainly have an impact on water resources and their management. As temperatures rise, rainfall patterns are expected to change, increasing the risk of floods, drought and other water-related disasters in many areas. Glaciers and icefields, the immense reservoirs of freshwater stored in the world's mountains and polar regions, are already melting; and
WHEREAS, in some areas, the availability of good quality freshwater has been reduced due to pollution from human waste, industry and agriculture. The figures are disturbing. Everyday, 2 million tons of human waste are disposed of in water courses. In developing countries, 70% of industrial wastes are dumped untreated into waters where they pollute the usable water supply. Since 1900, half of the world's wetlands, our principal source of renewable freshwater, have been lost. Putting an end to the deterioration of transboundary wetland ecosystems is critical for securing a stable supply of water for our homes, farms and industries; and
WHEREAS, with many countries at different stages of development, with different economic interests and different political outlooks, all trying to satisfy their water needs with limited water resources, some people foresee a future filled with conflict. However, history shows that cooperation, not conflict, is the most common response to transboundary water management issues:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize World Water Day as a means of focusing on the importance and management of freshwater and designating March 22, 2010, as "Water Day in Mississippi," and invite citizens to join in freshwater awareness events statewide.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be transmitted to the State Board of Health for distribution to the proper organizations and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
