Any long-term and sustainable approach to advancing a right to water cannot be divorced from the wider origin of freshwater, and from the important role that healthy ecosystems play in ensuring adequate quality and quantity of freshwater for basic human needs. The term 'right to water' therefore does not only refer to the rights of people but also to the needs of the environment with regard to river basins, lakes, aquifers, oceans and ecosystems surrounding watercourses. This is one of the conclusions of an IUCN Environmental Law Programme (ELP) and World Conservation Union paper which looked at the contribution that a human right to water could make to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).