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【JWF News Vol. 189】15 July 2020
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◇ Contents ◇
・Forward Activities of the Japan Water Forum in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic
・Announcement from the Japan Water Forum
– Join us for Worldwide Mission UCHIMIZU 2020!
・Report from the Japan Water Forum
– JWF Fund 2019: Completed report of the project in Sierra Leone
– Darvish Yu Water Fund: the 13th Project Completed!
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・Foreword Activities of the Japan Water Forum in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Mr. Tsugio IDE, Advisory Council Member of the Japan Water Forum
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Breaking away from the “growth supremacy” principle, we make ceaseless efforts to achieve the SDGs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of modern human society.
After World War II, an optimistic outlook prevailed throughout the world due to economic development. However, we can no longer neglect the growing gap between rich and poor and the resulting political and social problems. The instability in today’s market economies pointed out by Thomas Piketty in his book Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century, has become more apparent with the outbreak of COVID-19.
In 1962, Rachel Carson raised the question of the conflict between the agricultural and natural worlds and the use of chemicals in her book Silent Spring. In 1972, the Club of Rome released a report entitled The Limits to Growth, and in the same year, UN Conference on the Human Environment was held.
Twenty years later, in 1992, the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), popularly known as the Earth Summit, took place in Brazil and produced the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and adopted Agenda 21, the UN programme of action for implementing sustainable development. This has led to a series of COPs, and the UN resolution of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many of the SDGs are deeply linked to the objectives and activities of the Japan Water Forum.
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted us to ask ourselves about the relationship between human society and nature. The international community must lead the way in dealing with this question.
The JWF is urged to transmit information to the world on various challenges, not only regarding the immediate issues of flood control and water management but also on harmonizing human activities with nature, solving problems in the world’s poorest areas that have no access to water, and establishing a market economy system and democracy that enables us to solve our various challenges.
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| The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) |
Responses from democratic nations with market economies
The response from the United States, including President Trump’s comments, has exposed the reality of American democracy and its market economy: the growing divide between rich and poor, the insufficiency of its social security system, vital in a developed country; and deep-rooted racism. In contrast, the comments of European leaders, including those of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, showed more noble social values, such as the coexistence and interdependence of humanity.
Progress of the information revolution and the Post-COVID period
Development of the information society has accelerated sharply during the pandemic. Big data and AI are causing changes and innovations in the fields of information analysis and communication. It is expected that such new technologies will give us some help in tackling problems such as the concentration of population in cities and the decline of the countryside.
It is necessary to forge new rules related to such developments. At the same time, the challenge of improving the sustainability of market economies by recognizing once again the importance of interdependence will test our wisdom. Through such efforts, we hope we will be able to find innovative ways of solving global water problems.
The Eastern philosophy emphasizing inter-relatedness and interdependence of humanity
In general, the modern age is linked to Western philosophy that regards nature as something to be conquered. But I think now is a good time to revisit the Eastern philosophy, which recognizes the importance of human inter-relatedness and interdependence, and utilize it in future activities.
Here are some examples:
1. Zeien (説苑), compiled by Ryukyo, a great Confucian in the Former Han Dynasty
2. Views of compliance and wealth described in the Analects of Confucius
3. The thoughts of Laozi and Zuangzi that show the importance of the harmony between humanity and nature
4. Thoughts regarding sustainable development by Sontoku Ninomiya (1787 – 1856), an agricultural leader in the Edo Period
5. The views of Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh, joint winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.
6. The Seven Social Sins by Mahatma Gandhi: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice and politics without principle
7. The Summary for General Theory of Farmers’ Arts, written by Kenji Miyazawa (1896 – 1933, Japan)
Knowledge and awareness as citizens of the world in a globalized society
In order to raise awareness of human inter-relatedness and interdependence, we need to view the world from the perspectives of the liberal arts (philosophy, ethics, history, literature, and science), which can serve as a basis for expertise. In general, since the Meiji period we have focused on fostering technocrats in order to modernize Japan. Therefore, we tend to lack an interdisciplinary perspective. It is a good time to question our way of thinking.
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・Announcement from the Japan Water Forum
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– Join us for Worldwide Mission UCHIMIZU 2020!
On March 11th, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. In Japan, the government declared a state of emergency across the country on April 7th.
Since then, we have been seeking ways to conduct Mission UCHIMIZU 2020 in this new living environment that no one had ever experienced. On June 3rd, we held an online meeting which was attended by experts from the water sector and event industry to discuss with stakeholders from across Japan on how to transform the social action known as Mission UCHIMIZU into something new.
▼Please visit the following website for details▼
https://www.waterforum.jp/all/capacity_development/uchimizu/2020/0715/?p=14149tag=en,rep_en
(Reported by Sayoko Kuwahara, Manager)
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・Report from the Japan Water Forum
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– JWF Fund 2019: Completed report of the project in Sierra Leone
Under the JWF Fund 2019, seven projects in six countries were selected and funded out of 302 applications submitted from 36 countries.
The completed project report will be posted monthly.
▼Project in Sierra Leone▼
https://www.waterforum.jp/all/grass_roots_projects/jwf/2020/0714/?p=14094tag=en,rep_en
(Reported by Shigenori Asai, Director)
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– Darvish Yu Water Fund: the 13th Project Completed!
As the 13th project, we have carried out the activities for providing safe and clean drinking water in West Bengal State, India through installing water supply system such as water treatment facility, water vending unit.
As a result of this project, about 2,200 people have gained the access to safe and clean drinking water.
We would like to express our gratitude towards the donors to the fund including Mr. Darvish (a member of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball) for their kind understanding and support.
▼Please visit the following website for details▼
https://www.waterforum.jp/all/grass_roots_projects/darvish/2020/0619/?p=13825?tag=en,rep_en
▼For more information on the previous projects by the Darvish Yu Water Fund and application for the Fund▼
https://www.waterforum.jp/en/what_we_do/grass_roots_projects/darvish
(Reported by Shigenori Asai, Director and Akie Gunji, Sub Manager)
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JWF News Vol. 189 / 15 July 2020
Japan Water Forum
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