As Rio+20 preparatory talks move into their second round in New York, the support of nearly 400 organisations around the world has helped to keep the human right to water and sanitation on the summit’s current agenda. NGO negotiators are concerned, however, that the UK might still push the EU into challenging the crucial paragraph 67, potentially jeopardising the prospects of consensus.
In earlier talks, Israel, Canada and the US explicitly called for this right to be deleted, while New Zealand and the Republic of Korea have called for access to water rather than a right per se. So long as the EU does not join these members in weakening the text, it has a chance of remaining in place. Organisations that have not already done so can still sign this letter supporting the human right to water and sanitation.
