World Water Day

Water is the driving force of all nature – Leonardo da Vinci

    World Water Day is an annual United Nations (UN) observance day held on the 22nd of March that highlights the importance of fresh water. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Relevant water issues that are highlighted include water scarcity, water pollution, inadequate water supply, lack of sanitation, and the impacts of climate change. Every year this observance day has a different theme. 

    The theme of World Water Day this year (in 2021), according to the United Nations is “Valuing Water” and ”how we can better protect this vital resource. The value of water is about much more than its price.” This universal solvent has “enormous and complex value for our households, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment. If we overlook any of these values, we risk mismanaging this finite, irreplaceable resource.”

    Valuing water can have many meanings, but overall, water is something everyone and everything needs. Healthy and clean water means healthy fish, a healthy earth, and healthy humans. Our generation need to value water more and here’s some facts as to why;

    •    “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 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, we could cut climate-induced water stress by up to 50 per cent”

    •    “Extreme weather has caused more than 90 per cent of major disasters over the last decade”

    •    “By 2040, global energy demand is projected to increase by over 25 per cent and water demand is expected to increase by more than 50 per cent”

    •    “A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030”

    •    “In order to accelerate initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges related to water resources, the General Assembly proclaimed the 2018-2028 as the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”.    •    “Almost half of the schools in the world do not have handwashing facilities with soap and water available to students”

    •    “Around 297,000 children – more than 800 every day – under five die annually from diarrhoeal diseases due to poor hygiene, poor sanitation or unsafe drinking water.”

(Source: un.org, unwater.org)

So today, take a moment to think why water is important to you.