Water must be discussed with the depth it has and deserves.

The issue of water poses many challenges for us, starting with the challenge of sanitation, 17% of Brazilians do not have access to potable water, with 100 million people in Brazil without sewage treatment.

We increasingly need the integration of public policies, we need very strong forest restoration actions, on a large scale, in all of Brazil's biomes.
Restoration is necessary even to increase our resilience against climate change, not just to sequester carbon, but for the resilience of humanity, countries and the world economy.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for integration between the Public Forest Policies, Climate Change Policy and National Water Resources Policy.
THE Federative Constitution of Brazil of 1988 treats water as a good of the people, for public use, an essential good for life and, therefore, it is endowed with economic value.

We cannot accept the strategy that is being designed where water and sanitation become exclusively private and the solutions boil down to private situations. O Bill 4546/2021 it should be keeping Brazilians awake at night, as it leaves the different shared uses of water in the hands of the private sector.

What is most important to the public interest? The human supply? industry supply? production of energy? Or agriculture? 

Brazil needs to understand that we only have 14% to 17% of the world's fresh water because we still have part of the territory with native vegetation cover. And a significant part of our forests are degraded, suffering drying and being suppressed.

There is no water if there is no forest and in addition to making ecological restoration difficult, the lack of vegetation cover causes a lack of water and creates a problem from the point of view of supplying cities.
That is why it is extremely important, necessary and urgent to make public policies listening to society and, increasingly, integrating the different strategies.

It is not possible to think about water just looking at the issue of sanitation, we have to look at the issue of climate change, biodiversity, restoration, land use and management, solutions based on nature…

We have great challenges to make people, companies and governments understand that forests are worth more standing than on the ground.

Despite this urgent need, the National Congress presents us with several challenges with the destruction package that has been voted on by the National Congress, with projects that: end environmental licensing, allow the use of more and more pesticides considered dangerous contaminants, free up public lands in Amazônia, in addition to the new proposal to organize the exploration and provision of water services.

We are not against these issues being debated, but that they be debated technically. Public policy cannot be made without listening to science.
And this is yet another great challenge in the construction of public policies in defense of society and the environment, when hidden interests of people who do not have debates with society, override the public interest and what science advocates.

Source: Federal Deputy Rodrigo Agostinho – PSB/SP
Online Event: (1) Solemn Session 25 years of the Water Law Advances and Challenges – YouTube
Photos: water tree