“The Water Summit in March must result in a bold Water Action Agenda that gives our world’s lifeblood the commitment it deserves.”
Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
Water is at the core of sustainable development. It is essential for human well-being, energy and food production, healthy ecosystems, gender equality, poverty reduction and more. Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (SDG 6) is the most basic human need for health and well-being.
But decades of misuse, poor management, overextraction of groundwater and contamination of freshwater supplies have exacerbated water stress. This leads to negative impacts on human health, economic activities, and food and energy supplies.
The world is facing a crisis of “too much water” (extreme rainfalls and flooding), “too little water” (droughts and groundwater scarcity) and “too dirty water” (pollution). Urgent action is needed to ensure a sustainable and equitable distribution of water for all needs. This month’s UN 2023 Water Conference will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to raise awareness, define a roadmap and advance the water agenda.
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