Celebrating Earth Day: Ensuring the availability of clean water resources for a sustainable future

By Sara Seregni

“Water is at the core of sustainable development and is critical for socio-economic development, energy and food production, healthy ecosystems and human survival.”

Credit: Pexels

Access to clean, safe water is a fundamental human right, recognized by the UN General Assembly since 2010. Water is the source of life, essential not only for human survival but also for the health of ecosystems and biodiversity. Despite its vital importance, billions of people around the globe face challenges in accessing clean water, with consequences on health, equity, and sustainable development. 

Growing challenges in accessing clean water:

Water demand is rising rapidly due to population growth, rapid urbanization, and energy production. Yet, access to clean water remains deeply unequal. Geographic, sociocultural, and economic instabilities exacerbate this inequality in many regions, primarily Southern Asia and Central Africa. Water scarcity exacerbates other issues, namely poverty levels, food insecurity, conflicts, and ecosystem loss. According to WHO (2023), 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and 3.5 billion people lack safely managed sanitation. Nearly two out of five people worldwide cannot wash their hands with clean water, and 2 billion people live in areas experiencing high water stress. 

The importance of clean water for health and hygiene:

Water is essential for improving global health conditions. Unsafe water is a leading cause of waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, polio, and typhoid, which causes millions of deaths annually. Improved water sanitation could prevent about 400,000 deaths each year by reducing risks caused by contaminated drinking water. 

Water scarcity is also linked to climate change. Extreme weather events, such as prolonged droughts and intense floods, exacerbate water shortages and impact global health.

Lack of access to clean water and appropriate sanitation disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, who face additional challenges and get weaker immune systems that make them more vulnerable to diseases. Inadequate water supply is among the major causes of child mortality in the Global South. 

A call to action: 

To reduce water scarcity and relieve its devastating effects, targeted investments in infrastructure development and sanitation facilities are required. Innovation and new technologies for water management and sustainable agricultural practices offer effective solutions for managing water resources efficiently. Stakeholder cooperation is crucial to achieve water security. Governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector must work together to address water challenges. In agriculture,

implementing measures for sustainable water management like precise irrigation, construction of wetlands, and irrigation water storage would help ensure sustainable water use while preserving ecosystems. Addressing the challenges of water scarcity requires a comprehensive approach that integrates the management of water, food, and energy sources. Sustainable water use is not only crucial for meeting today’s needs but also for the future of our planet. By prioritizing investments and promoting international cooperation, we can work toward achieving SDG 6 and protecting the availability of clean water for generations to come. 

Sources: 

United Nations (2024) Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all. Available at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/.

United Nations (2024) Global Issues: Water. Available at: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/water#:~:text=Water%20is%20at%20the%20core,between%20society%20and%20the%20environment.

United Nations (2023) Water Action Agenda. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/action-networks/water?_gl=1*1i52dqf*_ga*NTMzMTU1ODM0LjE3MjUzNjUzMzI.*_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z*MTczNzQ1MzIwMS4yOC4xLjE3Mzc0NTMzODAuMC4wLjA.

United Nations (2024) Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network. Available at: https://www.un.org/en/water-energy-network/page/about.

UN Water (2024) Water. Food and Energy. Available at: https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-food-and-energy. 

World Health Organization (September 13, 2023). Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water#:~:text=Water%20and%20health,individuals%20to%20preventable%20health%20risks.

WWF (2024) Measures for sustainable water management. Available at: https://www.wwfbalticfarmer.org/farming-practices/water-management/.