World Water Day
World Water Day is an annual observance day on 22 March to highlight all the issues concerning water, with a special focus on UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 - which aims for clean drinking water worldwide by 2030.
It is also used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day is celebrated around the world with a variety of events. The first World Water Day, designated by the United Nations, was commemorated in 1993.
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Facts & Figures
- Globally, over 80% of the wastewater generated by society flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. (Sato et al, 2013)
- 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. Unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene cause around 842,000 deaths each year. (WHO/UNICEF 2014/WHO 2014)
- The opportunities from exploiting wastewater as a resource are enormous. Safely managed wastewater is an affordable and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials.
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UN-Water selects a theme for each year. The theme for 2018 is "Nature for Water" to encourage people to "look for the answer in nature". For example, nature-based solutions could be implemented to reduce floods, droughts and water pollution and to protect ecosystems.
2018 Theme: Nature for Water
This year’s theme explores how we can use nature to overcome the water challenges of the 21st century.
Environmental damage, together with climate change, is driving the water-related crises we see around the world. Floods, drought and water pollution are all made worse by degraded vegetation, soil, rivers and lakes.
When we neglect our ecosystems, we make it harder to provide everyone with the water we need to survive and thrive.
Nature-based solutions have the potential to solve many of our water challenges. We need to do so much more with ‘green’ infrastructure and harmonize it with ‘grey’ infrastructure wherever possible. Planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands will rebalance the water cycle and improve human health and livelihoods.
Sustainable Development Goal 6 – ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030 - includes a target to halve the proportion of untreated wastewater and increase water recycling and safe reuse.
World Water Day is coordinated by UN-Water – the UN’s inter-agency collaboration mechanism for all freshwater related issues - in collaboration with governments and partners.
Source: http://www.un.org/en/events/waterday/index.shtml