10 steps to sustainable water
Water is our most precious natural resource. It is vital to people’s health and happiness, vital for the environment and our wildlife, and vital to our economy. But this most precious asset is in crisis. That is why in 2006, we, a coalition of leading environmental organisations, launched the Blueprint for Water, setting out 10 steps to sustainable water.
Four years on, during the International Year of Biodiversity, our rivers, lakes and ponds remain our most threatened habitats; targets for restoration and creation of wetlands remain unmet; and River Basin
Management Plans promise just 5% improvement by 2015.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron MP has committed to leading the ‘greenest government ever’. The new Government has a chance to help restore the health of our water environment, with the forthcoming Natural Environment and Water White Papers offering an unparalleled opportunity to bring about positive change.
The Blueprint coalition’s 9,000 staff, 6 million members and 128,000 volunteers are ready to play their part in helping deliver a vibrant water environment full of wildlife. However, there also remain fundamental barriers to sustainable water management that only Government can address. This report describes some of the work we and others are undertaking and our priorities for reform.
