intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet
summary
As examples, I will point to the intimate relationship between the poor and the fragility of the planet, the conviction that everything in the world is connected, the critique of new paradigms and forms of power derived from technology, the call to seek other ways of understanding the economy and progress, the value proper to each creature, the human mean ing of ecology, the need for forthright and honest debate, the serious responsibility of international and local policy, the throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle.
Fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Sources of fresh water are necessary for health care, agriculture and industry.
Even as the quality of available water is constantly diminishing, in some places there is a growing tendency, despite its scarcity, to privatize this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market.
Yet access to safe drink able water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights.
We must be grateful for the praiseworthy efforts be ing made by scientists and engineers dedicated to finding solutions to man-made problems.
But a sober look at our world shows that the degree of human intervention, often in the service of busi ness interests and consumerism, is actually mak ing our earth less rich and beautiful, ever more limited and grey, even as technological advances and consumer goods continue to abound limit lessly. experience and scientific research show that the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest .26 For example, the depletion of fishing reserves especially hurts small fishing communities without the means to replace those resources; water pollution particu larly affects the poor who cannot buy bottled wa ter; and rises in the sea level mainly affect impov erished coastal populations who have nowhere else to go.