In a policy briefing* for the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sandra Postel calls for a fundamentally new approach to water and human development. This is needed to "satisfy the water needs of 8-10 billion people while protecting the ecosystems that sustain our economies and all terrestrial life". Ms. Postel identifies five policy priorities: protect ecosystem services; provide universal access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation; enable access to water for small-plot irrigation; double water productivity; and achieve good governance over water.

Related news: Summit: Kofi Annan Highlights Water and Sanitation as Priority, Source, 3 Jun 2002, http://www.wsscc.org/source/weekly/02212.html#su...

* Postel, S. ; (2002). From Rio to Johannesburg : securing water for people, crops, and ecosystems. (World Summit policy brief; no. 8). Washington, DC, USA : Worldwatch Institute. URL: http://www.worldwatch.org/worldsummit/briefs/200...

Contact: Contact: Sandra Postel, Global Water Policy Project, fax: +1-413 256-0309, spostel@globalwaterpolicy.org, http://www.worldwatch.org/bios/postel.html