Doc. 8489
19 August 1999

Creation of an Internet site exclusively reserved for gathering data on water

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Goulet and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and only expresses the views of the members who have signed it

1.       Water is the main challenge facing us in the 3rd millennium, in terms of:

- increasing shortages

- distribution

- management

- processing.

1/5 of all human beings have no access to drinking water, and 10 000 children die every day from the consequences of diseases linked to polluted water.

2.       Irrigation alone accounts for 70% of global water consumption. The agricultural sector is therefore especially concerned by this issue, as water is vital for its very survival.

3.       For years now a new report has been published or a colloquy organised on this subject every single month. These initiatives come from the UN and UNESCO, which are the international organisations best placed for considering the issues at global level, but also from other specific bodies:

- International University Water Institute;

- International Water Resources Association;

- World Water Council;

- International Office for Water;

- Mediterranean Water Institute;

- International Association of Hydrological Sciences;

- agricultural and scientific organisations:

- CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique);

- Ministries of Agriculture;

- International Federation of Agricultural Producers;

- Universities Water Information Network (UWIN);

- etc.

4.       As part of the activities conducted by its Agriculture Committee, the Council of Europe has presented several reports and organised several forums, including that held in Jerusalem in 1994 on the following themes, which are still topical:

- biotechnology and technologies for improving soil quality;

- inter-regional co-operation in research and development;

- farming in desert areas.

The Committee on the Environment has also dealt with this topic, and at every session parliamentarians submit proposals for a variety of measures in this field.

5.       Given the worldwide importance of this issue, the Council of Europe must provide a forum for debate and proposals.

      In order to cope with the enormous number of documents on the subject, it should undertake to gather information from the different bodies, NGOs, specialised organisations, universities, etc, working on water issues and create a data base accessible to all its members.

      Such a data base could help member and observer countries by enabling them to share experiences and research projects that can be transposed, particularly vis-à-vis countries in the Mediterranean Basin.

6.       In view of all its activities geared to promoting inter-regional co-operation, the Council of Europe must be the driving force behind an activity of decisive importance for our future by improving our handling of these issues through information gathering. This endeavour must involve creating, pooling and exploiting all the available electronic communication facilities.

7.       The Council has already addressed the matter of information dissemination in a more general manner in the Committee on the Budget's report (Doc. 8344).

8.       Therefore, the Assembly proposes:

i.       to create an Internet site to collect all the available documents, whether from the agricultural or environmental fields, on water issues:

- distribution

- growing shortages

- processing

- scientific data.

ii.       that arrangements be made within the framework of the Council of Europe to achieve this project.

Signed : ¹

Goulet, France, EDG

Bartos, Czech Republic, EDG

Belohorska, Slovakia, EDG

Eltz, Croatia, EDG

Hoegh, Norway, EDG

Hornung, Germany, EPP/CD

Keltosova, Slovakia, EDG

Micheloyiannis, Greece, SOC

Saakashvili, Georgia, EDG

Schreiner, France, EDG

Sinka, Latvia, EDG

Steolea, Romania, EDG

Tkac, Slovakia, EDG

Turini, Italy, EDG

Zingeris, Lithuania, EDG

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group