Shame on me!
Published on by Gema MartÃnez, Water Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean - PhD student
I am not a climatologist, a weather scientist or an expert; not even a person interested enough to take a deep look into the matter and collect the proper data needed to have an sound opinion with the sufficient reliability…I am a "common citizen" in this topic, so yes, shame on me!! Because my opinions and ideas are basically founded on the news, on the reports (not always scientifically reviewed and -a bit more or a bit less- extent and rigorous as they should be) published in newspapers or magazines…with this basic knowledge load, a common citizen like me can just "believe or not" in "a" climate change (and notice that I mentioned "a" and not "the", due to the already exposed lack of knowledge…I couldn't stay firmly if there is "the" titanic climate change, leading to catastrophic consequences hard or impossible to counteract out there , or "a" shift in the meteorological patterns which in any case will also have for sure serious penalties). In my personal case, I just "believe" it…especially when I read news like this I would like to share here:
Water is always placed in the middle of any climate change analysis or deliberation; in fact, water is so important that is the corner stone in any socio-environmental debate about future trends. I do not want to highlight here the causes, or blame the "foolish human beings", or do any other kind of meretricious sermon. I just want to share this kind of daily facts it order to remember that politicians, CEOs, managers, engineers, financial engineers, investors and all the people involved in the decision-making process (at any spatial and temporary scale), who are -in their major part- as "common citizens" as me, must take into account that this is more than Science, more than being fair individuals or neo-hippy ones, this is a matter or practicality!!
No water means poverty in all senses. No water means a step back in all the economic and social achievements of a region (this case in Sao Paulo is a perfect example). No water means the necessity of transfer resources (economic, social, technical and scientific ones) from the global enrichment and advance process aims to the solving of basic needs. No water means the increase of illness, social exclusion, loss of working forces and loss of ideas. No water means a brake in history. Thus, I just wanted to share with you this kind of news, because we need that governments, with the support of private forces and under realistic, fair and sustainable approaches, develop good strategies to avoid (better) or to solve (quick) this (unfortunately each day more frequent) situations. Water, water quality, water resources and water sanitation is not matter of "believe or not", not for "common" or "not-common" citizens, but a matter of common sense. We are talking about life and progress…and even -for those a bit more radicals- we are talking about money, directly derived from "us" as working forces for that progress…water is the stone corner…so, shame on us! if we are not putting all our efforts in the required means to avoid or solve situations like this, all over the world and as fast as possible…