World Rivers Day: Environmental Challenges and Geopolitical Implications

This article emphasizes the vital role of rivers as the lifeblood of our planet, highlighting their provision of freshwater, support for ecosystems, and essential resources while underscoring the imminent threat of pollution. It introduces World Rivers Day, a global event celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of September, dedicated to raising awareness about rivers' global significance and advocating for better stewardship.
The event was initiated by Mark Angelo in 2005 and is celebrated worldwide in a decentralized manner. World Rivers Day's objectives include addressing environmental challenges, emphasizing sustainable river management, and promoting collaboration among non-governmental organizations, environmental groups, and local communities to protect and preserve these invaluable water bodies for the planet's health and well-being.
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1. WorldRiversDay:Environmental
ChallengesandGeopoliticalImplications
TimePrinter
September24,2023
ImageSource:Google,ImageBy:Pexels
Riversareunquestionablythelifebloodofourplanet,providingvitalfreshwater,sustaining
ecosystems,andofferingresourcesessentialforexistence.Plantsandanimalsthatlivenear
riversandvalleysdependoncleanwater.However,thepollutionoftheseessentialwaterways
presentsaseriousthreattoourenvironmentandpublichealth,demandingfastactiontoprotect
theirinvaluablecontributiontoourworld.
WorldRiversDayisanannualeventcelebratedonthefourthSundayofSeptember.Andin
2023,itwillbecelebratedonSeptember24.Thisglobalobservanceisdedicatedtoraisingpublic
awarenessaboutthesignificanceofriversandwaterwaysworldwide.Itservesasaplatformto
emphasisetheintrinsicvalueofriversandstrivestoenhancepublicconsciousnesswhile
promotingbetterstewardshipoftheseessentialwaterbodies.
Inthisarticle,wewillstrivetoshedlightontheimportanceofriversworldwide,their
environmentaldeterioration,andtheconflictsandsufferingsbetweendifferentstatesoverthe
naturalflowoftheriver.
AGlobalInitiativeforRiverConservation:
WorldRiversDay,initiatedbyCanadianriveradvocateMarkAngeloin2005,isadecentralised
globalobservancecelebratedworldwide.Thisdayservesasaplatformtoraiseawarenessabout
thesignificanceofrivers,emphasisingtheirvitalrolesinsupplyingfreshwater,supporting
ecosystems,andfacilitatingtransportationandrecreation.Italsoaddressestheenvironmental
challengesandconflictsassociatedwiththeselifelines,highlightingtheimportanceof
sustainablerivermanagement.

2. ImageSource:Google,ImageBy:Flickr
WhileWorldRiversDayisnotdirectlycoordinatedbyaspecificUNagency,itactivelyengages
non-governmentalorganisations,environmentalgroups,andlocalcommunitiesinriver
conservationefforts.Thesecollaborativeinitiativesaimtoprotectandpreservetheworld'srivers,
recognizingtheircriticalimportancetoourplanet'shealthandwell-being.
RiversatRisk:SolutionsforaSustainableFuture
Riversareessentialsourcesoffreshwaterfordrinkingandagriculture,sustainingbillionsoflives
globally.Theyarebiodiversityhubs,housingdiversespeciesandservingasvitalhabitatsand
migrationroutes.Rivershistoricallyfacilitatedtransportationandcontinuetoreducecarbon
emissionsthroughcargotransport.Riversproviderecreationalopportunitiesandattracttourists,
boostinglocaleconomieswhileofferingnature-basedexperiences.
Riversencounteramultitudeofchallengesprimarilydrivenbyhumanactivities.Pollution
stemmingfromindustrial,agricultural,andurbansourcesintroducesharmfulsubstanceslike
chemicals,heavymetals,andplastics,posingthreatstobothaquaticlifeandhumanwell-being.
Theconstructionofdams,riverchannelization,andwaterdiversionsdisruptnaturalflowpatterns,
adverselyaffectingecosystems,sedimenttransport,andwaterquality.

3. ImageSource:Google,ImageBy:WikimediaCommons
Over-extraction,urbanisation,deforestation,andclimatechangeleadtoreducedriverwater
levelsandlossofcriticalhabitats.Invasivespeciesandpoorlandmanagementworsenthese
challengesalso.
Protectingandrestoringriversinvolvesreducingpollution,restoringnaturalriverbanks,
promotingsustainablelanduse,conservingwater,andsupportingbiodiversitythroughprotected
areasandclimateaction.Engagingcommunities,advocating,andeducatingarealsokeytoriver
conservation.
IndusWaterTreaty:IndiaandPakistan'sWaterDiplomacy
TheIndusRiverisoneofthemostimportantriversinSouthAsiathatoriginatesintheHimalayas
andflowsthroughIndia,Pakistan,andChina.TheIndusRiveranditsbranchesareregulated
undertheIndusWatersTreatythatwasanagreementbetweenIndiaandPakistan,brokeredby
theWorldBank,governingtheuseoftheIndusRiveranditsbranches.
InKarachionSeptember19,1960,theIndusWaterTreatywassignedbyIndianPrimeMinister
JawaharlalNehruandPakistaniPresidentAyubKhan,grantingcontroloftheeasternrivers
(Beas,Ravi,Sutlej)toIndiaandthewesternrivers(Indus,Chenab,Jhelum)toPakistan.
Whileitaimsforgoodwillandcooperation,Pakistanremainsconcernedaboutpotential
water-relatedissuesduringtimesofconflict.Despitetensions,thetreatyhaslargelyprevented
waterwars,relyingonlegalproceduresfordisputeresolution.It'sconsideredasuccessfulbut
possiblyneedingupdatesforclimatechangechallenges.
FarakkaDam'sImpact:DevastatingConsequencesforBangladesh

4. TheFarakkaBarrageisadampositionedontheHugliRiverinWestBengal.Itwasdesigned
andbuiltbytheHindustanConstructionCompany.Situatedabout18kilometresfromthe
Bangladeshborder,itisincloseproximitytoShibganj.
TheconstructionoftheFarakkaBarrage(Opened:April21,1975)hasledtodevastating
consequencesforBangladesh,particularlyduringthedryseason,withthePadmaRiver
experiencingalmostnowaterflow.Thishasresultedinseverewatercrisesinthesouthernand
westernregions,directlyimpactingoverfourcrorepeopleandcausingadeclineinbiodiversity.
ImageSource:Google,ImageBy:WikimediaCommons
Morethan49rivershavedisappearedfromthecountry'smapduetoFarakkaBarrage,while
around100otherriversarerapidlyheadingtowardsasimilarfate.Theremainingriversare
shrinking,andoverallwaterlevelsdecreaseduringthedryseason,affectingundergroundwater
aswell.
TheFarakkaBarragehascontributedtothealarmingriseinarseniccontaminationin
Bangladesh'sgroundwater.Additionally,TheSundarbans,aUNESCOWorldHeritageSite,faces
destructionduetoheightenedsalinitycausedbythedam.
Indiaalsobearsthebrunt,asvastareasinUttarPradeshandBiharareannuallyfloodeddueto
siltbuildup.TheFarakkaBarragehasdisruptedtheriver'snaturalflow,resultinginenvironmental
disastersupstreaminBiharandUttarPradeshanddownstreamintheSundarbans.
Recently,Bihar'sChiefMinister,NitishKumar,raisedconcernsabouttheFarakkaBarrage’s
impactandcalledforitsremovaltoaddresstheongoingissues,althoughriverexpertshave
beenunconvincedofthisapproachfromthebeginning.
DisputesovertheFlowoftheNileRiver:
TheNileRiverDisputeisalong-standingconflictprimarilyinvolvingEgypt,Sudan,andEthiopia,
revolvingaroundaccesstoandutilisationoftheNile'swaters.TheconflictcentresontheGrand
EthiopianRenaissanceDam(GERD),amassivehydropowerprojecttakenbyEthiopiaonthe
BlueNile,amajorbranchoftheNileRiver.EthiopiaseestheGERDasacriticaldevelopment
projecttomeetitsenergyneedsandstimulateeconomicgrowth,whileEgyptandSudanare
concernedaboutpotentialimpactsontheiraccesstowater,agriculture,andelectricity
generation.

5. TheNileRiverBasin,coveringaround10%ofAfricaor3.1millionkm²,isoneoftheworld's
largestriverbasins.Itstretchesfor6,695kilometres,makingitthelongestriverglobally,andis
sharedbyelevencountriesinnortheasternAfrica.
Around257millionpeople,accountingfor53%ofthetotalpopulationinNileBasincountries,
resideinthisregion.Egypthasthelargestpopulationwithinthebasin,with85.8millionpeople,
followedbyUgandawith33.6million,Ethiopiawith37.6million,andSudanwith31.4million.
EgyptreliesheavilyontheNileforitsfreshwatersupply,withover95%ofitswateroriginating
fromtheriver.ThesecomplexitieshavemadenegotiationsovertheGERDandNilewater
allocationhighlychallenging,withongoingdiplomaticeffortsandinternationalmediation
attemptingtofindamutuallyacceptablesolutiontoensurewatersecurityforallpartiesinvolved.
JordanRiverCrisis:The"WaroverWater"andRegionalConflict
The"WaroverWater"from1964to1967involvedIsraelanditsArabneighbours,mainlySyria
andJordan,fightingovercontrolofwaterintheJordanRiverarea.Thistensionbeganafter
agreementsin1949andledtosmallfightsstartingin1953.In1955,aplanforsharingwater,
suggestedbytheUS,didn'tgetapproved,butbothsidesstillfollowedsomeofitsrules.
Thebigconflictheatedupin1964whenArabcountriesopposedIsrael'sprojecttomovewater
withtheNationalWaterCarrier.Thisledtofightsalongthebordersandanattempttochangethe
flowoftheJordanRiver.WhocontrolledthewaterbecameabigreasonfortheSix-DayWarin
June1967.
Israel,Jordan,andPalestinehavebeenunabletoreacharesolution,andthesituationcontinues
todecline.ThedisputeovertheJordanRiverhighlightsthechallengesthatarisewhencountries
shareacriticalresourcelikewater.
ResourceManagementStrugglesintheEuphrates-TigrisBasin:
Inthe1960s,TurkeyinitiatedtheGAPproject(SoutheasternAnatoliaProject)toharnessthe
TigrisandEuphratesriversthroughdamconstruction,leadingtowaterrightsdisputeswithIraq
andSyria.ChallengesintheEuphrates-Tigrisbasinincludedecliningwaterqualityandquantity,
lowwaterproductivity,climatechange,anddambuilding.
Theseissueshavecausedsignificantharm,includingenvironmentaldamage,urbanmigration,
andevenviolentconflictsinIraq.AHumanRightsWatchreportdelvesintothewatercrisisin
Basra,revealingthatover100,000Iraqiswerehospitalisedin2018duetounsafedrinkingwater.
TheEuphrates-TigrisbasincoversTurkey,Syria,andIraq,withIranalsopartoftheTigrisbasin.
TurkishdamsupstreamreducedtheEuphratesflowintoSyriaby40%,hurtingSyria's
agriculture.Unilateralirrigationplansandpoliticaltensionshavestrainedrelations.
Thishighlightsongoingproblemswithwatersharingandresourcemanagementintheregion.

6. ImageSource:Google,ImageBy:UN
DnieperRiver:ASharedResourceunderStrain
TheDnieperRiver,originatinginRussia'sValdaiHills,flowsthroughBelarusandUkrainetothe
BlackSea.AsofApril2022,theUNreportedthat6millionUkrainiansfaceddailychallenges
accessingdrinkingwater,with1.4millionlackingsafewaterintheeastand4.6millionhaving
limitedaccess.
Disputesovertheriver'sflow,primarilyduetowaterdiversionforagricultureandindustry,persist
amongBelarus,Russia,andUkraine.Politicaltensionshavehinderedresolution,underscoring
thecomplexitiesofsharingthisvitalresource.
Conclusion:
WorldRiversDayoffersaglobalplatformforpromotingtheimportanceofriverconservationand
sustainablewatermanagement.Thisannualeventaimstoinspireindividualstotakeproactive
measuresandbecomeresponsibleguardiansoftheseinvaluablenaturalresources.
Itunderscorestheprinciplethataccesstoclean,flowingwatershouldbeauniversalright.Italso
remindsusthatthenaturalflowofrivershasapositiveimpactonourlivesandbiodiversity.