22 March 2015, World Water Day* — The planet is facing a 40% shortfall in water supply by 2030, unless we dramatically improve the management of this precious resource. This is the unavoidable conclusion reached in the 2015 United Nations World Water Development Report, “Water for a Sustainable World”, launched in New Delhi India ahead of the World Water Day marked on 22 March 2015.
“There is already international consensus that water and sanitation are essential to the achievement of many sustainable development goals. They are inextricably linked to climate change, agriculture, food security, health, energy, equality, gender and education. Now, we must look forward to measurability, monitoring and implementation”, says Michel Jarraud, Chair of UN-Water and Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization.
Water is at the core of sustainable development. Water resources, and the range of services they provide, underpin poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability.
From food and energy security to human and environmental health, water contributes to improvements in social well-being and inclusive growth, affecting the livelihoods of billions.
2015 Theme: Water and Sustainable Development
The theme of 2015 it’s about how water links to all areas we need to consider to create the future we want. Learn more about the theme and join the global celebrations by organizing your own event.
Join the 2015 campaign to raise awareness of water and sanitation. You can also contribute on social media though the hashtags#WaterIs and #WorldWaterDay.
Source: UN Water
World Water Day is marked on 22 March every year. It’s a day to celebrate water. It’s a day to make a difference for the members of the global population who suffer from water related issues.
It’s a day to prepare for how we manage water in the future. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March as the first World Water Day. 22 years later, World Water Day is celebrated around the world every year, shining the spotlight on a different issue.
Read more here and Watch the webcast here
UN-Water Thematic Factsheets
UN-Water Thematic Factsheets present a series of quick facts on a range of issues related to water. These striking facts can be used for raising awareness of water-related issues and for building effective advocacy campaigns to promote responsible water use.
Click on the images below to download the PDF versions of these popular posters that have been updated in May 2013. More themes will be added to this series in the future.
Should you need more facts, have a look at our statistics section and visit our Key Water Indicators Portal.
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Climate ChangeThere is evidence that the global climate is changing, and water is the primary medium through which climate change impacts the earth’s ecosystem and people. | |
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Water and biodiversityTo coincide with the 2013 International Year of Water Cooperation, the International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May this year will address “Water and Biodiversity”. This new fact sheet looks both at the role of water to sustain biodiversity andattheroleofbiodiversityforthe provision of freshwater. | |
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Water and DisastersDuring the period 2000 to 2006, a total of 2,163water-relateddisasterswere reported globally in the Emergency Disasters Database, killing more than 290,000 people, affecting more than 1.5 billion, and inflicting more than US$422 billion of damage. | |
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Water and GenderWater scarcity hasdetrimental impacts on women and girls. Indeed, water is central to the full range of domestic ‘unpaid’ activities, which many cultures still view traditionally as “women domain”: food preparation, care of animals, crop irrigation, personal hygiene of the entire household, care of the sick, cleaning, washing and waste disposal. This gendered division of labour in water collection tasks deprives women and girls from opportunities to escapetheviciouscircleofpovertyanddisempowerment. We need to view women and men as equal partners in all areas of water governance and water resource management at all levels. | |
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Water QualityEvery day,2milliontonsofhumanwastesare disposed of in watercourses, and in developing countries 70 %ofindustrialwastesare dumped untreated into waters where they pollute the usable water supply. But not only industry contaminates our water resources, so does also agriculture.The contributionofthefoodsectortothe production of organic water pollutants, are in high-income countries 40 % and in low-income countries 54 %. | |
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SanitationToday 2.5 billion people, including almost one billion children, live without even basic sanitation. Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a result of poor sanitation. That’s 1.5 million preventable deaths each year. | |
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Water scarcityBy 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population could live under water stress conditions. | |
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Transboundary watersThereare276transboundary river basins in the world (64transboundary river basins in Africa, 60 in Asia, 68 in Europe, 46 in North America and 38 in South America)and200transboundary aquifers have also been identified. | |
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Water and UrbanizationToday, one in two people on the planet live in a city. The world’s cities are growing at an exceptional rate and urbanisation is a continuum. 93% of the urbanization occurs in poor or developing countries, and nearly 40% of the world’s urban expansion is growing slums. | |
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*Source: UN Water.
Read also:
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Seven Reasons to Claim Water for Life, Not for Coal
‘The Most Basic of All Human Rights -Water- Is Central to Global Peace and Security’
Every Dollar Invested in Water, Sanitation Brings Four-Fold Return in Costs – UN
How Much Water Do We Use For … ?
Two-thirds of World Population Could Struggle to Get Access to Water by 2025
Seven Reasons to Claim Water for Life, Not for Coal
In Detroit, City-backed Water Shut-offs ‘Contrary to Human Rights’ — UN Experts
Explosive Growth of Water Demand; Water Stress for Three Billion People Be Prepared to Face Water Shocks!
10 Devastating Facts about Water Pollution You Ought to Know
NASA Alert: Middle East Headed Towards a Water Shortage Crisis
No Water in Many Parts of the World in Only 40 Years No Water?
Demand for Life’s Essentials: 50% More Food, 40% More Energy and… 35% More Water
World Bank and Giant Corporations Allied to Privatize Water Worldwide
2015 Human Wrongs Watch
