Water is life! It is essential for all aspects of our livelihood, from basic drinking-water to food production and health, from energy production to industrial development, from sustainable management of natural resources to conservation of the environment. Water also has religious and cultural values. Unfortunately, water is becoming scarce in many areas and regions of the planet. The latest data from the World Water Council's Report on sustaining water (1996) show clearly how alarming the situation is: "In 1950, only 12 countries with 20 million people - faced water shortages; by 1990 it was 26 countries with 300 million people; by 2050 it is projected to be as many as 65 countries with 7 billion people, or about 60 percent of the world's population, mainly in the developing countries". The report calls for immediate and effective action in order to maintain freshwater availability in the coming century. As documented in the recently published report on freshwater management, mountains play a crucial role in the supply of freshwater to humankind, in both mountains and lowlands.
