World Water Day

The Water Day celebrations are intended to inspire governments, organizations, communities and individual people to take action to improve the sustainable management of water resources in the world and to take actions that will raise public awareness. Better water management is an essential element of an effective strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change. Improving water management practices can contribute to the increasing of the resistance to climate change, the improvement of the health of ecosystems, and the reduction of the risk of water-related disasters.

• Today, one in three people in the world - about 2.2 billion - lives without access to clean drinking water. (WHO / UNICEF data 2019).
• Up to 2050, up to 5.7 billion people may be living in areas where water is scarce for at least one month a year. (UNESCO 2018).
• Water-resistant water supply and sanitation could save the lives of over 360,000 babies every year. [UN 2018]
• It is estimated that by 2030, 700 million people worldwide may be resettled from their homes due to significant water scarcity.
• If we limit global warming to 1.5 ° C above the pre-industrial levels, compared to 2 ° C, we can reduce the so-called water stress caused by the climate by up to 50 percent. (UN-Water 2019).
• Extreme weather phenomena - whose frequency and intensity are increasing due to climate change - have caused over 90 percent of major disasters over the past decade. (UNDRR 2015).
• By 2040, global energy demand is expected to increase by more than 25% and water demand by more than 50%, mainly due to production, electricity generation and household needs. (International Energy Agency 2018 / UNESCO 2018).

The UN is alarming - we cannot afford to wait. Adaptation to the effects of climate change related to water will affect the protection of health and life on Earth, and more efficient use of water will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Decision makers in the field of climate policy must include the solving of water-related problems in the strategies of their action plans.

 

Hundreds of thousands of people take individual action regarding the climate change as part of the UN #ActNow campaign. Here are five changes we can all make today:

• Take a five-minute shower: Water shortage affects as many as four out of ten people in the world. Because 80 percent of wastewater is never treated, shorter showers are a great way to save this valuable resource¹.
• Eat more plant-based meals: Dietary changes that include plant foods and balanced animal food can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 8.0 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year².
• Do not throw away food: It is estimated that 1/3 of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted. Reducing food waste reduces the demand for agriculture, which is one of the largest water consumers³ .
• Turn off technology: Currently 90% electricity production requires high water consumption. Turn off devices when you are not using them⁴.
• Buy sustainably: you need 10,000 litres of water to produce a pair of jeans, which is as much as a person drinks in 10 years. Acquiring our goods from reliable sources may have a major impact on water and other necessary resources⁵.

To find out more visit

• the World Water Day 2020 website: https://www.worldwaterday.org
• from the UN Report on the development of water management in the world in 2020, of March 23: https://www.unwater.org/publication_categories/world-water-development-report/.
• from the description of the UN water policy on climate change and water: https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-water-policy-brief-on-climate-change-and-water/.
• discovering simple ways to influence climate change: www.un.org/en/actnow