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2.3.3.1 Human Right to Water and Sanitation
The Human Right to Water and Sanitation was declared by the UN in 2010 (UNESCO
2011 ). It mirrors the fact that access to water, as well as to sanitation, are necessary
preconditions of human life. In a sense the right to water is an implication of the
postulate of human dignity not only because water is necessary for survival but also
because water is essential for food production, for energy and also for cultural issues.
In ethical respect, a clear imperative follows to ensure the fulfi lment of this right
today and in the future. This principle closely relates to the debate on water as a common good and also allows reference to the value dimension of water, e.g. in Islam.
2.3.3.2 Sustaining Ecosystem Functions
Ecosystem functions are essential for a functioning natural environment – in the
way of providing ecosystem services according to human needs and for “keeping
nature alive” (Groenfeldt 2013 ) as well. This principle overlaps strongly with the
intergenerational dimension of the imperative of sustainable development (Grunwald
and Kopfmüller 2012 ), which calls for long-term responsibility in maintaining the
natural conditions of human life (Jonas 1979 ). But it also includes other ecosystem
functions such as cultural or religious ones, or aesthetic arguments (Ott 2010 ). The
precautionary principle (Harremoës et al. 2002 ) also has its place here in face of the
huge uncertainties in long-term developments of water systems.
2.3.3.3 Responsible Use of Water
The Human Right to Water is a right to use water. This use, however, is restricted by
the other principles: the actual use of water has to be arranged in a way that (1) the
future fulfi lment of the right to water is not endangered and (2) ecosystem functions
will be sustained. This normative situation may limit the industrial and agricultural
use of water in specifi c cases. Facing high uncertainties concerning long-term
effects of human interventions it might be a postulate of responsibility to take care
of the resilience of water systems. Responsibility also includes caring about the
safety of water engineering, e.g. in the construction of dams.
2.3.3.4 Participatory Water Governance
The principles given above do not allow direct derivation or deduction of ethically
justifi ed advice. On the one hand, this will be prevented frequently by the virulence
of confl icts between the principles (e.g. the well-known confl ict between the economic use and the common good character of water). The judgement with respect to
one principle might be positive but negative to another one. On the other, the principles are rather abstract and must be “contextualised”, i.e. made operable for specifi c
2 Water Ethics – Orientation for Water Confl icts as Part of Inter-…
2.3.3.1 Human Right to Water and Sanitation
The Human Right to Water and Sanitation was declared by the UN in 2010 (UNESCO
2011 ). It mirrors the fact that access to water, as well as to sanitation, are necessary
preconditions of human life. In a sense the right to water is an implication of the
postulate of human dignity not only because water is necessary for survival but also
because water is essential for food production, for energy and also for cultural issues.
In ethical respect, a clear imperative follows to ensure the fulfi lment of this right
today and in the future. This principle closely relates to the debate on water as a common good and also allows reference to the value dimension of water, e.g. in Islam.
2.3.3.2 Sustaining Ecosystem Functions
Ecosystem functions are essential for a functioning natural environment – in the
way of providing ecosystem services according to human needs and for “keeping
nature alive” (Groenfeldt 2013 ) as well. This principle overlaps strongly with the
intergenerational dimension of the imperative of sustainable development (Grunwald
and Kopfmüller 2012 ), which calls for long-term responsibility in maintaining the
natural conditions of human life (Jonas 1979 ). But it also includes other ecosystem
functions such as cultural or religious ones, or aesthetic arguments (Ott 2010 ). The
precautionary principle (Harremoës et al. 2002 ) also has its place here in face of the
huge uncertainties in long-term developments of water systems.
2.3.3.3 Responsible Use of Water
The Human Right to Water is a right to use water. This use, however, is restricted by
the other principles: the actual use of water has to be arranged in a way that (1) the
future fulfi lment of the right to water is not endangered and (2) ecosystem functions
will be sustained. This normative situation may limit the industrial and agricultural
use of water in specifi c cases. Facing high uncertainties concerning long-term
effects of human interventions it might be a postulate of responsibility to take care
of the resilience of water systems. Responsibility also includes caring about the
safety of water engineering, e.g. in the construction of dams.
2.3.3.4 Participatory Water Governance
The principles given above do not allow direct derivation or deduction of ethically
justifi ed advice. On the one hand, this will be prevented frequently by the virulence
of confl icts between the principles (e.g. the well-known confl ict between the economic use and the common good character of water). The judgement with respect to
one principle might be positive but negative to another one. On the other, the principles are rather abstract and must be “contextualised”, i.e. made operable for specifi c
2 Water Ethics – Orientation for Water Confl icts as Part of Inter-…