World scholars appeal for world to wake-up to global river crises

In a joint declaration in China Friday, more than 800 hydrologists appealed to the world to stand up for the good of rivers and future human generations and take action against the unprecedented crises and challenges that plague global rivers.

"We are duty bound to take action to preserve the healthy life of our mother river with sanity, resolution and confidence," said the Yellow River Declaration, agreed by water experts and representatives from 61 countries or regions and more than 20 international organizations at the second International Yellow River Forum that ends Friday in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou that the mighty river runs through.

During the four-day discussion at the forum, world water experts reached a common understanding on many important issues such as river health, the significance of preserving healthy river life and the means of restoring the river eco-system.

According to the declaration, the crises and challenges that many rivers face include degraded sources, vanishing tails, silted river beds, shrinking river channels, river courses running dry and water pollution, leading to conflicts and even collapse of the eco-system relying on the river.

"A river has its own life," the declaration said, adding, "Human beings and rivers depend on each other just like lips and teeth and are bound together for good and ill."

"We, as spokesmen for the rivers, are duty bound to envisage the harm done to rivers and vigorously promote adjustments to industrial structures and the establishment of a water-saving society," said the declaration.

The declaration said world water experts and hydrologists should set up a new river management strategy and gradually restore the healthy face of rivers. Science should play a leading role in exploring and testing, the aim being to restore harmony between human beings, rivers and eco-systems.

Source: Xinhua