The Road to the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto, 2003
By Hiroshi SASAKI, FDE2002 Special Committee
1. Background of the Forum
Palau is one of the world's truly spectacular scuba diving locates, with coral reefs, blueholes, hidden caves and tunnels and over 60 vertical drop-offs. It's the meeting place of threemajor ocean currents, which bring abundant food supplies and an enormous variety of marine
life to the area. The waters surrounding the Rock Islands literally teem with over 1500 varietiesof reef and pelagic fish and more than four times the number of coral species than is found in
the Caribbean. The region's spectacular underwater biodiversity includes over 1500 species offish and 700 species of coral. This is typical impression about Palau and the Pacific region,
which people in Japan and other countries have.
However, the difficulty that the Pacific region faces and its vulnerability are totally
beyond our expectation. In reality, many people in the pacific region rely on the rainfall
cultivation, but precipitation itself is unstable as shown in Figure.1. Topological feature such as
low coral atoll and limestone island, of this region make it impossible to construct large-scale
reservoirs to secure water in dry season. Moreover, the particular vulnerability of islands isoften described in term of small size, remoteness and exposure to climatic change andinstability.
Rainfall Data in Palau (1996-1997)
800

Rainfall (mm)700
600
Yr. 1996
Yr. 1997

500
400
300
200
100
012345678

91011 12MonthFigure 1. Rainfall Data in Palau (1996-1997)
In these days, the issues and difficulties caused from its uniqueness, climatic changes
and global warming have received increasing attention from the researchers, especiallyclimatologists and meteorologists, citizens and medias round the world. However, there is notime to wait for the assistance from the other side of the world. The pacific island has to make

action for own future and propose the possible countermeasures by themselves within thecontext of the sustainable development. This paper summarizes the particular issues in thepacific island countries at first, and then highlights the main objective of this forum and thestrategy, which the member of the executive committee share with.
2. Overview of the Issues in the Pacific Island Countries.
In general, the water and energy issues in the pacific islands countries and the impactof the global warming are summarized in Figure 2. The roots of these problems can be
categorized in topological uniqueness, overpopulation, inadequate water resource management,
climatic instability and climatic change, etc. Even though most of issues are caused somehow
from its topological and geological uniqueness, the impact of the climatic change makes
existing issues more serious and complicated.

Water & Energy Issue

Impacts of Global Warming

・Draught

・Inundation of lowlands

・Unstable precipitation

・Coastal erosion

・Limited fresh water resources

・Salt water intrusion into ground water・Contaminated ground water・Contaminated river water・Changes in sediment deposit inccoastal area

・Vulnerability of rain water cultivation

・Abnormal pattern of storm

・Reduction of fresh water lens・Changes in tide and waves

・Zero self-sufficient rate of energy

・Change of precipitation & hydrological
ppatterns

・High cost of imported energy resource
・Emission from fossil fuel for generator

・Change of atmospheric and water
htemperature
・Outbreak of water caused disease

SCI Action Plan
Figure 2. Summary of Issue and Impact in the Pacific Island Countries.

In this decade, the water and energy issues, as shown in Figure 2, have received theattention and have been addressed throughout the various symposiums and conferences in many
levels. Within the context of the identification of the issues and causes, the first action wassucceeded, but it does not mean enough. Therefore, sharing the strategy and the issues, it is thetime to act for the detail countermeasures based on the world wide or regional partnerships with

common recognition. For this purpose, this forum is organized as a first step for next decade,especially to bring the Pacific Voice towards the 3rd World Water Forum, Kyoto 2003.
3. SCI Action PlanSCI Action Plan is based on the concept that water and energy issue and climaticchange should be treated simultaneously. Moreover, public awareness in the different levels
around the world is also key aspect to take the action to another level. From this point of view,
the action should be taken to each three factor. Three major slogans are explained briefly.

SCI Action Plan・ Struggle against Global Warming
・ Challenge to Water & Energy Issue
・ Integration of Pacific Voice to Kyoto(A) Struggle against Global Warming
Each island country has various water and energy issues. A common characteristic is thatmany island countries could be greatly influenced by the environmental change in global
scale as mentioned before.

Therefore, our group has to consider and discuss on what kindof actions should be taken to overcome the global warming, which are the root of manyissues, for the survival in island countries.
(B) Challenge to Water & Energy Issue
In the island countries, the natural and human resources are limited. If the person has ever
heard of the problems in island countries, it might be easy to image the peculiar “blockagefeeling” about the water and the energy issues there. Therefore, our group wants to act andchallenge to this complicated issue from slightly different angle from existing techniques
and projects. Our basic thought of the action is the development and promotion ofdesalination technology using renewable energy. The reason why we choose this approach isthat the pacific island countries have the highest potential for the renewable energy such as
wind, solar and ocean thermal energy in the world. Pacific islands have to use this advantage
to be eco-friendly countries prior to the world and overcome the difficulties they face andexpected in near future.
(C) Integration of Pacific Voice to Kyoto
Based on the concept explained above, our group will hold Palau forum and Saga forum asthe next step before Kyoto main forum. In the sequence of forums, the partnership between
the island countries would be enhanced. At the same time, researchers and engineers will
participate also from other countries, such as Japan, to build practical partnership.
As you know, the attention to the Pacific issues is increasing year by year, but the voice fromthe Pacific islands is still small and the information is limited for the people in other part of
the world. Therefore, within this working group starting from Palau, the regional forum
should be continuously held every 3 or 4 years after 3rd WWF Kyoto to increase the publicawareness and to prepare for pilot project in this region. Through the continuous discussion,
we hope that the delegations of each country and other participants will draw an imaginaryof society in the future to set up the concrete targets through the free discussion in theround-table conferences.
4. Road to Kyoto
To integrate the Pacific Voice in term with SCI Action Plan, we plan the process
shown below including Palau forum. Key point is how to organize new framework and to agreewith the concrete numerical target towards the pilot project. Through this process, we aim toappeal the Pacific issues and targets to the world and to propose how to act towards thesustainable water and energy in this region.

Road to Kyoto

Kyoto Forum
March 16-23rd, 2003
 Voice of Pacific to the World
 Building New Partnership Saga & Palau Declaration

Saga Forum
March 14-15th, 2003
 Setting the Detail Goal of SCI Action Plan Responsibility of the Developed countries
 Challenge to the Water & Energy Issue
and Global Warming with OTEC

 Building New Partnership Saga Declaration

Palau Forum
October 15-16th, 2002
 New Framework of Action toWater & Energy Issue

Fiji Forum Agreement of New Round Action to Global Warming Partnership for New Challenge
 Palau Declaration

July 29-August 3rd, 2002
 Pacific Consultation Meeting Organized
by ADB & SOPAC

Figure 3. The Road to Kyoto