World Water Report warns of an imminent water crisis

Between two and three billion people worldwide currently experience water scarcity, and this scarcity is expected to worsen in the coming decades, particularly in cities, if international cooperation in this area is not strengthened, warns UNESCO and UN-Water in the latest edition of the UN's World Water Development Report, now available.

During the report's launch at the United Nations Water Conference in New York, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that "governments must create plans for equal access to water for all people while conserving the water resource. He also called on countries to work together across borders to care for water resources."

The World Water Report highlighted that approximately 26% of the world's population does not have access to safe drinking water, and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation. International cooperation is the key to water access for all.

On this World Water Day, the United Nations is calling for increased international cooperation on how water is used and managed. This is the only way to avoid a global water crisis in the coming decades.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay indicated that "there is an urgent need to establish strong international mechanisms to prevent the global water crisis from spiraling out of control. Water is our common future, and it is essential to act together to share it fairly and manage it sustainably."

Partnerships and people's participation increase benefits. Environmental actions, such as pollution control, plastics, ecosystem-based management, and proper basin management, are among the shared benefits highlighted most frequently in the report, along with opportunities to share data, information, and co-financing.

Events in the framework of World Water Day

UNESCO San Jose, on behalf of the United Nations System in Costa Rica, participated in a joint event with the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) and the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica (MEP) in the celebrations of World Water Day on March 22nd.

In this space, minors learned about water conservation and the importance of cooperation to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6. In addition, they showed through drawings how they will take care of water from their homes and experiences.