The Role Scientific Community Can Play for Water Security
Published on by Prof. Partha Sarathi Datta, Independent Consultant on Water & Environment
The Role Scientific Community Can Play for Water Security
As the demand for fresh water grows with increasing population, so will the demand for new creative methods to assess the availability of water resources.
Generally, in scientific research, a problem is identified, experimental techniques are designed, results compiled and interpreted to find a solution to the problem. Then results are published and disseminated for others to advance the science and understanding of the earth, its environment, and the processes involved. In conferences while sessions explore many aspects of the science & technology, data, analysis, etc., and the approaches by which the scientific community can more effectively advice to the policy makers and decision makers at large. But, merely explaining the facts of science is not enough to inspire the public to change their mindset, mental attitude and behavior so that they can avoid impending social and environmental problems.
On the other hand, in the “real” world, politicians, policy-makers, decision-makers, and the governing agencies, media, etc., have a tendency to be popular and persuasive to compete for economic aspirations. Since, these communities have very different goals, means, and measures of success, and contrasting and often conflicting operational languages; the public, including all the stakeholders remain mostly ignorant and unaware of the exact nature of the problems and issues. The scientific community can play significant role to educate and help these communities to create awareness and achieve their goals. In this context, each member can reorient discussion in terms that the common man can understand. Only then the potentials of science be put to use for the benefit of society.
Taxonomy
- Research