The 3rd World Water Forum in Moriyama

Keynote Address:

"Citizens' initiative toward the restoration of Lake Biwa environment"

Hitomi Tsuji, Director of ABECI

   The first serious proliferation was observed at Lake Biwa in 1983. It is common phenomena in most eutrophic water. The situation in Akanoi Bay was worse, since it has semi-closed and shallow structure.
   In 1996 the community in the surrounding area established "Akanoi-Biwako Environmental Citizens' Initiative" with the slogan of "Let us recover fireflies and Shijimi clams through improvement of water quality".

   The activity started from periodically inspection on water at about 100 spots along rivers and steams in Moriyama City. With the compiled water quality map, a proposal to the city government was submitted.     We have been closely working with various organizations such as residents communities, farmers, fishermen, foresters, school children, private companies, scientists and local government agencies.

    We sent a delegation of ten members to "The 8th International Conference on the Conservation and Management of Lakes " held in Copenhagen in 1999.
    At "The 9th Conference", we held a two-day Moriyama session with the theme of " Life and water around the world: Telling us what actions to do".
   For the preparation to "The 3rd World Water Forum", we have held a series of mini-seminars to study about current status of water environment in lakes around the world.

   Here we, the members of ABECI, promise to establish an enhanced partnership with various organizations to promote the activities for the water environment preservation.

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