Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh on Sunday called for cooperation from all sectors to ensure sustainable management of water resources to maintain steady economic growth.
The premier was speaking at the Prime Minister's Office to mark this year's World Water Day on March 22.
He said sustainable development of water catchment areas, particularly surrounding the Mekong River, is vital to socio-economic development efforts.
“As a part of this year's theme for World Water Day of ‘Water for a Healthy World', I believe cooperation towards the sustainable development of the Mekong River's catchment areas is very important,” Mr Bouasone said.
“This requires that all the countries and international organisations concerned participate in the protection and management of water and other natural resources in a sustainable manner.”
He said water is a basic facet of life and that, for all living creatures, water is life.
“Water is also a strategic resource which contributes to the development of the nation's economy. Water is important not only in the daily lives of the Lao people but also in preserving biodiversity in the nation and around the world.”
Laos' vast water resources have been an important factor in the nation's focus on developing the hydropower sector, the premier said, adding that water is also an important resource for the agriculture, consumption, fishery, tourism and transport industries.
In recognising the importance of the region's water resources, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam agreed to form the Mekong River Commission in 1995.
The commission is tasked with managing the use of water resources from the river and its tributaries in a harmonised and sustainable manner, the premier said.
In 1996, two upstream countries, China and Myanmar, became dialogue partners of the commission.
To ensure the sustainable and efficient development of water resources, Laos has put in place complex management mechanisms for the relevant sectors, Mr Bouasone said.
The government has attached special importance to protecting watershed areas and aims to increase forest coverage to 70 percent of the nation's total land area by 2020, he said.
Over the past 50 years, human activities resulting in the polluting of water resources have increased dramatically around the world.
Additionally, global warming and the resulting climate change have led to water shortages in some parts of the world, an issue that is likely to increase into the future, he added.
The level of the Mekong River has been remarkably low this year due to lower than normal precipitation last rainy season, he said, adding that unusually high temperatures could be another cause.
Mr Bouasone said water shortages present “a threat” to livelihoods, production and business operations in Laos, but the government has timely immediate and long-term measures in place to cope with the matter.
The premier called for all Lao people to increase their efforts to ensure Laos' natural beauty is preserved and protected.
To recognise the important role of water resources around the globe, the international community celebrates World Water Day every year.
we should protect the origins of the water ...that's the forest
Forests plays a major role in keeping the air fresh and earth cool by breathing in carbon dioxide and breathing out oxygen which sustain life forms. But the origin of water is not the trees. basic elements of water is 2 atoms of hydrogen and 1 atom of oxygen.
earht's water system is cyclical. Heat causes surface water from seas, rivers, lakes, etc. to evaporte into the atmosphere. The cold atmospheric temperature then condense the evporated water to form clouds. These act like cotton and sucks in more evaporated water from the earth's surface until they turn heavy enough to hold more. So when the cloud is heavy condensed water starts to precipitate to form the rain. VOlume of rain depends on the volume of condensed water in the clouds.
but the el nino phenomenon is unique because it seems that the evaporated water is not returned to its origin. instead it is released as rain in the opposite side of theplanet. Thus, whenever Asia experience drought, the west experience heavy storms and snow fall, and vice versa.
