Global Debates Resource Center

Welcome to the TPS Global Debates Resource Center.  We've provided you with links and other resources to help you prepare for your Global Debate. The March 2008 topic is: "Resolved: Water should be considered national property."

Water 101

• Water Resources Searchable Database (Earth Trends/World Resources Institute)
• General Information on Water Rights (Wikipedia)
• Water Fact Sheet (UNEP)
• Water Encyclopedia (Articles on various water-related topics)
• Check out IDEA's Debatepedia page on the topic of water rights!
• Global Water Challenge (Resources from the campaign to provide safe drinking water for people around the world) 
• The GreenFacts "State of the Resource" page on water

Water and the United Nations

• UN-Water - Official UN body site to follow-up of the water-related decisions reached at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Millennium Development Goals.
• UNDP Human Development Report 2006 – “Power, poverty, and the global water crisis” 
• UN Millennium Development Goals - See, in particular, MDG #7
• Water for Life - The UN's International Decade for Action on Water is 2005 - 2015. Be sure to check out the fact sheet on water and sanitation.
• Global Environment Outlook - A chapter on water from the UN Environment Programme's report.
• The Tap Project - Help UNICEF provide access to safe water for children around the world! World Water Week is March 16th - 22nd!

Good Further Research Sites

• World Forum Water Debate (BBC)
• World Health Organization - Report on meeting MDG #7, plus radio interviews on water and sanitation.
• National Water Rights Digest - Includes map of the US coded by types of water laws, plus state profiles.
• National Water Program - Information on water quality in the US.
• US Water News - Archives of water-related news in the US.
• Water Rights: No Clear Solution - From the National Radio Project.
• Study Guide for Natural Resources, Conflict, and Conflict Resolution - from the US Institute of Peace.
• Water: From the Earth for You - a lesson plan about water quality.

U.S. State Specific Research

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