当前位置:首页--专题报道--2013年专题报道--2012年中欧水资源交流平台高层对话会--相关资料
欧盟驻中国、蒙古大使马库斯·艾德和在中欧水资源交流平台高层对话会开幕式致欢迎辞-英文
  2012-09-24 09:41  

  24th September 2012, G Charlton Noble International Hotel,

  Zhengzhou

  Dear Minister Chen Lei,

  Minister Ida Auken,

  Distinguished guests,

  Ladies and gentlemen,

  1/China Europe Water Platform, the first successful steps

  It is with great pleasure to welcome you to the first high level dialogue of the China Europe Water Platform.

  We have witnessed the Platform’s ‘birth’ in Marseille at the 6th World Water Forum, and we are now proud to see that the platform has already undertaken many first important steps.

  Its 2012-2015 Work Programme will be kicked off today and many new members have joined our endeavour.

  Let me therefore from the outset express my gratitude to the two leading partners, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources and the Danish Ministry of Environment, as well to the co-leads from our member states: Portugal, Austria, and Hungary.

  2/ A safe and secure water supply…our common challenge

  The EU and China have a strong interest in working hand-in-hand in promoting sustainable water resources management.

  We face similar challenges and our water resources are becoming more and more scarce.

  China possesses only 6.2% of global freshwater resources to supply 21% of the world's population. When the effects of pollution are factored in, experts say that only about 30% of the country’s total renewable water resources are usable.

  In Europe, we have recently modelled the water gap between water demand and water availability in 2025 and 2050. The main message from this exercise has been that even with strong improvements in water efficiency in all sectors – in particular agriculture - water stress would be a problem in numerous EU catchments.

  Water will be therefore one of the biggest global challenges to tackle in the years to come and climate change is having a profound impact on water resources. One day we don’t have enough water …. the following one we have disastrous floods affecting our communities and goods.

  3/ Wise water management, an essential element for good neighbourhood relations

  Water, being a prerequisite for life, could also become a global source of friction.

  National dependency on water from transnational rivers or aquifers is widespread. That fact coupled with fast growing water demand, owing to economic and population growth, rapid urbanization, is making interstate water competition a major security issue.

  In this era of growing constraints, we must not only seek cost-effective and sustainable technological solutions, but we should engage into collaborative efforts that extend beyond national borders.

  This pleads for action. This pleads for joint action as we can be inspirational to each other in exploring solutions and jointly assisting the global community in moving towards a more sustainable management of water.

  4/Water as part of the EU-China strategic partnership

  Dear Ministers, colleagues

  I’m just back from Brussels where the leaders from the EU and China have concluded the works of the 15th EU-China Summit.

  Water was mentioned as a top priority issue for co-operation and the context of the China Europe Water Platform was emphasised as a privileged mechanism for enhancing our cooperation.

  The ball is rolling now, you will develop in the coming months new initiatives and projects that will reinforce the strategic partnership between China and the EU.

  Let me express my gratitude again, also to the team of the EU-China Policy Dialogue Project who has supported this event, and wish you all success in the new exiting endeavour!

责编:魏永静  
 
京ICP备14010557号 主办:水利部办公厅 承办:水利部水利信息中心 网站联系电话:010-63202558
政府网站标识码:bm20000001 京公网安备11040102700040号
进入无障碍阅读