Water: our common wealth
Water: our common wealth is a BLOG about the value of water to life on earth and the threats our water supply faces. World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, focuses on the importance of freshwater.
World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
The idea for this international day goes back to 1992, the year in which the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro took place. That same year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993.
Later on, other celebrations and events were added. For instance, the International Year of Cooperation in the Water Sphere 2013, and the current International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028. These observances serve to reaffirm that water and sanitation measures are key to poverty reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.
How is the water in your country?
Water: our common wealth helps you discover the percentage of drinking water, water quality, population with access to sanitation services, or the proportion of wastewater that is treated safely.
Link to the worldmap with water in your country: https://www.sdg6data.org/#Search_country
Did you know?
- Today, 1 in 3 people live without safe drinking water.
- By 2050, up to 5.7 billion people could be living in areas where water is scarce for at least one month a year.
- Climate-resilient water supply and sanitation could save the lives of more than 360,000 infants every year.
- If we limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, we could cut climate-induced water stress by up to 50%.
- Extreme weather has caused more than 90% of major disasters over the last decade.
- By 2040, global energy demand is projected to increase by over 25% and water demand is expected to increase by more than 50%
Water and Climate Change
World Water Day 2020 is about water and climate change – and how the two are inextricably linked. The campaign shows how our use of water will help reduce floods, droughts, scarcity and pollution, and will help fight climate change itself.
By adapting to the water effects of climate change, we will protect health and save lives. And, by using water more efficiently, we will reduce greenhouse gases.
Our key messages for this day are clear:
- We cannot afford to wait. Climate policy makers must put water at the heart of action plans.
- Water can help fight climate change. There are sustainable, affordable and scalable water and sanitation solutions.
- Everyone has a role to play. In our daily lives, there are surprisingly easy steps we can all take to address climate change.
Visit the official website and help spread the message
Visit the official website of UN Water to learn more about the goals we aim to fulfill in accordance with the 2030 Agenda. Official UN website: https://www.unwater.org
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) also supports Water Goals
Water is our most precious resource. We can’t live without it. There’s no substitute for it. And there’s only so much of it to go round. Therefore Water: our common wealth is the title of this BLOG It is our wealth, but at risk.
Of all the water on Earth, just 2.5% is fresh water, and most of that is locked up in ice or deep underground. Rivers and lakes hold only a tiny fraction – but it’s this water that farming, industry, seven billion human beings and all life on land depend on.
And freshwater environments are home to around 1 in 10 known animals – from dragonflies to ducks to dolphins, and around half of all fish species.
We’re striving to protect and revive the rivers and wetlands that sustain people and nature, and ensure there’s enough water for all of us.
Alarming Fact:
Almost half the world’s population will face severe water scarcity by 2030 without urgent action
Visit the WWF Website to learn more about Water and protection of water, so we can avert the possible disasters facing mankind.
