Epopolis
09-08-2004, 21:56
Here is my final draft, from here, I will ask for your thoughts, and modify slightly, and then I will submit it as a proposal. I believe this proposal will not only improve the water situation worldwide, but will also create cooperation between many nations, due to the “adoption” system
Safe Water Access Act
Proposed by Epopolis
Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Noticing, that water is essential to human life, and that a person both subsists of, and subsides upon water.
Realizing, that water is also fundamental to agriculture, which is in turn fundamental to human subsistence.
Troubled by, the amounts of people who suffer and die, due to lack of water, either through dehydration, starvation or any of the other many maladies and diseases that are caused by a lack of water.
Greatly disturbed by, the numerous conflicts that are occurring, and that have occurred in the past, due to disagreements over water sources.
Noting further, that water is not equally distributed amongst the nations of this world; some nations are abundant in usable water, while others have very little of this vital resource.
We, the sovereign nations of the United Nations are hereby:
Affirming, that water is a basic human right, which should be available to every person.
Declaring that every decade surveys shall be taken by a multinational UN volunteer corps, which will be funded by out of the current UN budget and donations from world charities and governments. These surveys shall gather information on out sources of safe water in every nation, how this water is distributed, and how water affects the health of the population. Sources of water can come in any form that is readily usable. Still water, stagnant water, and infected waters are not counted as water sources. Saltwater can only be counted as a water source if the nation can afford desalination, this will be determined by a nation’s UN Economic Rating; if the nations Economic Rating is thriving or higher, that nation’s salt water reserves will be counted as safe water. If the nation’s Economic Rating is below thriving, that nation’s saltwater reserves will not be considered safe water, unless that nation has an active desalination program at the time of the survey.
Resolving that the aforementioned survey shall be used to determine if the nation’s water supplies are supplying enough to sustain the population of that nation, and that based on that information, nations be placed into three groups:
1) Substandard- Water supply is not sustaining life in the nation. In excess of 1% of the population dies from dehydration during the last year; In excess of 2% of the population dies of starvation directly related to the lack of water’s effects on agriculture, in the last year. However, a nation does not meet criteria for substandard status if:
- It is shown by the data that adequate or better water supplies are available in the nation at the present time.
- It is shown by the data that the deaths in dehydration were not caused by lack of water access, but instead due to other reasons (such as, an immobile elderly person cannot access water due to lack of help, not lack of access, and in the several cases of sports-related dehydration deaths. Cholera and other diseases that are caused by lack of safe water, that cause dehydration deaths, are accepted as lack of water deaths.
-It is shown by the data that the deaths by starvation due to lack of water’s effects on agriculture are aided by excessive or forced growing of cash crops in the nation.
2) Adequate- Water supply is sustaining life in the nation. Less than 1% of the population dies of dehydration; less than 2% of the population dies from starvation directly related to lack of water. Definitions of dehydration and starvation due to lack of water are subject to the reasoning held in previous statements.
3) Abundant- Water supply is in excess of minimum life sustaining levels. Less than .01% of the population dies of dehydration or starvation due to lack of water’s effects upon agriculture. The nation has not had an extreme drought in the past 3 years. Definitions of dehydration and starvation due to lack of water are subject to the reasoning held in previous statements. The nation must also have various reservoirs and other back-up water supplies to qualify for abundant status.
Demanding that all UN nations follow the requirements placed upon the governments, based upon its placement.
Requiring that all nations with substandard water supplies, apply for water assistance through the UN, or opt-out of the program and resolve to improve their water supplies unilaterally and show improvement warranting a change in water supply status to a rating of adequate or higher by the time of the next survey.
Requiring all nations with adequate water supplies to make this water distributed in any community consisting of 10,000 people or more, by the time of the next survey.
Requiring all nations with abundant water supplies to “adopt” either one nation with substandard water supplies with an equal or greater population in comparison to the adopting nation, or several nations whose combined population is equal or greater to the population of the adopting nation, to assist with water shortages. The sovereign nations will have freedom to fulfill the minimal water needs of the adopted nation in however they possibly can, as long as the adopted nation improves to an “adequate status” by the next survey. No two abundant nations may “adopt” the same nation with substandard water supplies; in cases where this occurs substandard nation must choose ONE of the adopting nations. If the adopted nation does not improve at all, the adopting nation will be subject to help fund the next survey, unless the adopting nation has fallen to either adequate or substandard ranking. A protest may be filed by the penalized nation, if they believe the adopted nation was not being cooperative, if this is determined by an investigation, preformed by authorized multinational volunteers, to be the cause of the situation, the decision will be repealed.
Allowing, as incentive to participate successfully in the program, abundant nations who successfully raise all their adopted nations to a level of adequate or better, to collect a tax of up to .05% from the people of the adopted nation(s)
Declaring, that any nation that abuses this system, and is exposed through an investigation preformed by authorized multinational volunteers, will be punished by a UN tribunal.
Safe Water Access Act
Proposed by Epopolis
Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Noticing, that water is essential to human life, and that a person both subsists of, and subsides upon water.
Realizing, that water is also fundamental to agriculture, which is in turn fundamental to human subsistence.
Troubled by, the amounts of people who suffer and die, due to lack of water, either through dehydration, starvation or any of the other many maladies and diseases that are caused by a lack of water.
Greatly disturbed by, the numerous conflicts that are occurring, and that have occurred in the past, due to disagreements over water sources.
Noting further, that water is not equally distributed amongst the nations of this world; some nations are abundant in usable water, while others have very little of this vital resource.
We, the sovereign nations of the United Nations are hereby:
Affirming, that water is a basic human right, which should be available to every person.
Declaring that every decade surveys shall be taken by a multinational UN volunteer corps, which will be funded by out of the current UN budget and donations from world charities and governments. These surveys shall gather information on out sources of safe water in every nation, how this water is distributed, and how water affects the health of the population. Sources of water can come in any form that is readily usable. Still water, stagnant water, and infected waters are not counted as water sources. Saltwater can only be counted as a water source if the nation can afford desalination, this will be determined by a nation’s UN Economic Rating; if the nations Economic Rating is thriving or higher, that nation’s salt water reserves will be counted as safe water. If the nation’s Economic Rating is below thriving, that nation’s saltwater reserves will not be considered safe water, unless that nation has an active desalination program at the time of the survey.
Resolving that the aforementioned survey shall be used to determine if the nation’s water supplies are supplying enough to sustain the population of that nation, and that based on that information, nations be placed into three groups:
1) Substandard- Water supply is not sustaining life in the nation. In excess of 1% of the population dies from dehydration during the last year; In excess of 2% of the population dies of starvation directly related to the lack of water’s effects on agriculture, in the last year. However, a nation does not meet criteria for substandard status if:
- It is shown by the data that adequate or better water supplies are available in the nation at the present time.
- It is shown by the data that the deaths in dehydration were not caused by lack of water access, but instead due to other reasons (such as, an immobile elderly person cannot access water due to lack of help, not lack of access, and in the several cases of sports-related dehydration deaths. Cholera and other diseases that are caused by lack of safe water, that cause dehydration deaths, are accepted as lack of water deaths.
-It is shown by the data that the deaths by starvation due to lack of water’s effects on agriculture are aided by excessive or forced growing of cash crops in the nation.
2) Adequate- Water supply is sustaining life in the nation. Less than 1% of the population dies of dehydration; less than 2% of the population dies from starvation directly related to lack of water. Definitions of dehydration and starvation due to lack of water are subject to the reasoning held in previous statements.
3) Abundant- Water supply is in excess of minimum life sustaining levels. Less than .01% of the population dies of dehydration or starvation due to lack of water’s effects upon agriculture. The nation has not had an extreme drought in the past 3 years. Definitions of dehydration and starvation due to lack of water are subject to the reasoning held in previous statements. The nation must also have various reservoirs and other back-up water supplies to qualify for abundant status.
Demanding that all UN nations follow the requirements placed upon the governments, based upon its placement.
Requiring that all nations with substandard water supplies, apply for water assistance through the UN, or opt-out of the program and resolve to improve their water supplies unilaterally and show improvement warranting a change in water supply status to a rating of adequate or higher by the time of the next survey.
Requiring all nations with adequate water supplies to make this water distributed in any community consisting of 10,000 people or more, by the time of the next survey.
Requiring all nations with abundant water supplies to “adopt” either one nation with substandard water supplies with an equal or greater population in comparison to the adopting nation, or several nations whose combined population is equal or greater to the population of the adopting nation, to assist with water shortages. The sovereign nations will have freedom to fulfill the minimal water needs of the adopted nation in however they possibly can, as long as the adopted nation improves to an “adequate status” by the next survey. No two abundant nations may “adopt” the same nation with substandard water supplies; in cases where this occurs substandard nation must choose ONE of the adopting nations. If the adopted nation does not improve at all, the adopting nation will be subject to help fund the next survey, unless the adopting nation has fallen to either adequate or substandard ranking. A protest may be filed by the penalized nation, if they believe the adopted nation was not being cooperative, if this is determined by an investigation, preformed by authorized multinational volunteers, to be the cause of the situation, the decision will be repealed.
Allowing, as incentive to participate successfully in the program, abundant nations who successfully raise all their adopted nations to a level of adequate or better, to collect a tax of up to .05% from the people of the adopted nation(s)
Declaring, that any nation that abuses this system, and is exposed through an investigation preformed by authorized multinational volunteers, will be punished by a UN tribunal.