Water - Source of All Life! Presentation for the Environment Commission, by Sr. Maria da Paz de Jesus, OSF Allegany, NY - July 29, 2005 Introduction With the choice of this theme for the annual Lenten Solidarity Campaign in Brazil, the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) calls attention to the vital necessity of WATER for all living creation, to its social importance and to the necessity for grassroots participation in the stewardship of WATER in Brazil. The document distributed questions the difference between WATER as a natural resource to be preserved and WATER as product to be privatized and commercialized. WATER is a resource, patrimony and necessary good for all humanity and for all living creatures. WATER as resource in Brazil, as well as in the entire world, needs to be seen in new ways in accord with ethical criteria based on the value of life and respect for the rights and dignity of creation as the creative work of God. So much has changed in our world since eight centuries ago St. Francis praised the humility and chastity of Sister WATER in his Canticle of Creation. A Global Perspective For 500 million years WATER on our planet remains the same in the natural cycle of evaporation, rain, soil infiltration and the formation of tributaries, rivers, lakes and aquifers. After enormous service to all of life, these WATERS once more evaporate and the cycle begins anew. However in the last century WATERS are losing their purity, marred by pollution and the increased consumption so much so that one of the principal challenges for humanity in this 21st Century is the conservation of WATER reserves. All forms of life depend on WATER. No life exists without WATER. For this reason, from a biological viewpoint WATER and life cannot be separated. According to the United Nations, approximately 1.2 million people do not have quality drinking WATER and 2.4 million are without adequate sanitation. Two million children die each year due to contaminated WATER-related illnesses. The Brazilian Reality In Brazil the right to WATER is totally compromised. According to statistics from OPAS - the Pan American Health Organization , 20% of Brazil's population is without safe drinking WATER; 40% of the running tap WATER is not safe for drinking; 50% of the homes do not have sewage systems and 80% of collected sewage goes directly into the rivers without any treatment. The Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE) responding to OPAS findings on sanitation, presents similar findings. IBGE affirms that 45.4% of all children from 0 - 6 years of age live in homes without adequate sanitation. Government data from Brazil corroborates these findings in their urban statistics: 92.4% of the population has WATER; 50.9% has sewage yet only 25.6% of the sewage lines are treated. In the rural areas safe drinking WATER is in serious jeopardy. According to ABRA-The Brazilian Association for Agrarian Reform, 90% of the rural population lacks access to running WATER. Obviously running tap WATER does not necessarily mean safe drinking WATER. However, many sources of WATER, that serve rural areas, however, do represent safe drinking WATER. If rural and urban access to safe drinking WATER is combined approximately 20% of the population is without safe drinking WATER. On a larger scale it may be said that 40% of humanity has difficulty accessing WATER. WATER pollution negatively affects both the biological and psychological life of contemporary society. A Brazilian author once said: "In this land everything you plant grows because this land has so much water." Where does Brazil fit within the world reality on the question of WATER? What is Brazil's position in relation to the so- called "WATER CRISIS"? The United Nations describes Brazil as a country rich in fresh WATER. The Amazonian region alone represents 53% of production on the South American continent and 12% of world production. Of all available agricultural soil Brazil has 25% of the planet's area and 20% of the world's biodiversity. 70% of Brazil's WATER is located in the Amazonian region. Brazil's Midwest holds 15% of the WATER, the South has 6% while the Northeast counts on 3%. Water Pollution and Waste in Brazil A significant number of Brazil's rivers are contaminated. This contamination is visible to the human eye. This is not only an urban reality, the Amazonian region has river contamination from the mercury of gold diggers, the Rivers Araguaia/Tocantins are polluted from the use of pesticides in agriculture while other rivers are full of sanitary waste from the hospital industry. These examples easily reveal Brazil's irresponsibility with regard to preventing polluition of WATERS. Besides the question of pollution there is the question of the real disappearance of rivers. Just in the State of Bahia 30 tributaries of the huge San Francisco River have disappeared. This is a river in agony. The forecast is for this river to totally disappear by 2060. Fundamental causes for the elimination of WATER at the mouths of rivers is the indiscriminate clearing of lands and the depletion of WATER tables. Much more care is needed to preserve vegetation on the banks of rivers as well as care for the areas where there are permanent reserves. All preservation efforts in Brazil today are critically influenced by agribusiness. Brazil has no national political stance for storing rain WATER. In Northeastern Brazil, however, is found a unique project for WATER storage sponsored by Catholic Social Services in conjunction with other non-governmental organizations. Sister Cleusa, osf is involved in this important project. The Federal Government in Brazil, under the Zero Hunger Project, has included the provision for the building of a million cisterns in the next five years. Similar experiences in Israel, China and Germany already exist and it would only take some government initiative to bring this project to fruition. Another important fact is that 90% of all electricity in Brazil is produced from dams. The present government plans call for some 497 new dams on Brazil's rivers. Brazil is a country with some 9000 kilometers of vast and beautiful coastline. Along with the tourist industry there is ample room for fishing for thousands of people. The fishing industry, however, is in rapid decline. The evaporation of WATER from the ocean is a vital part of the WATER cycle and the ocean is home to an enormous biodiversity. Brazilian Legislation The 1988 Brazilian Constitution affirms: Lakes, rivers and all waterways in national territory as well as those that border more than one State, country or originate in foreign countries with their coastlines are considered national patrimony. These waters include both surface and underground sources (Article 20, #3 and Article 26, #1). The Constitution provides for the public preservation of WATERS and excludes privatization of the same. There is also a 1934 Code for WATER. It is still on the books but lacks complimentary laws to be effective or seriously applied. The same 1988 Constitution provided for a National Law for WATER Resources (#9,433/97) inspired by the principles of Eco-92 and Agenda 21. This was established in the presidency of Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1994-2002). This law can be interpreted in two very dissimilar ways.. If the law is seen from the social perspective, favoring the recovery and preservation of WATER as a resource for those most in need, it can be viewed as positive for society. If, however, it is seen as a way to open Brazil to the commercialization of WATER as a product/merchandise, the effects can be disastrous. It is necessary, therefore, to verify in detail the foundations for this law and discern what, in fact, is being proposed. In 2000 ANA - National Agency for WATER was created. This is a question of strategic stewardship of WATER. Some view this agency as being introduced by the World Bank in order to favor privatization of WATER. It contradicts Executive Government intervention in economic questions. ANA is connected to the Ministry for the Environment. Brazil has taken some steps in the direction of a political stance in the area of WATER resources and there is no reason to substitute these efforts with politics of privatization. The present Brazilian government is studying proposals to modify the role of these regulating agencies and thus recuperate the power to elaborate policies within the Ministries. Church Thinking The CNBB - National Conference of Bishops of Brazil proposes serious evangelization including personal and community dimensions. The objectives for the defense of life highlight issues on the environment and present clear ways in which to develop our evangelical mission to follow Jesus and the Church, living the commandment of love by fostering a strong communitarian spirit of solidarity. The focus is the common good, education for justice and renewed awareness of responsibility for Gospel action in human promotion. The choice of "WATER FOUNT OF ALL LIFE" as the title for the Annual Lenten Solidarity Campaign sponsored by the CNBB calls attention to the vital importance of WATER for all creation; the social and spiritual implications of questioning the concept of WATER as resource/patrimony rather than a product to be privatized. The Church invites all her members, those of other faith traditions, those outside organized religions, public officials and civil society to unite forces to guarantee that WATER continues to be, in fact, an abundant and just source of life for all. May no one or any creation be excluded from the resource WATER.