World Water Day
Every 22 March since 1993, the world reunites to celebrate water and raise awareness on access to safe and clean water. This World Water Day has been dedicated to accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis.
In 2015, the international community committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the 2030 Agenda. Among these, SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation aimed to ensure that everyone would have safe access to water and sanitation by 2030. As of today, we are seriously off-track to achieve this goal.
But what is at stake when water is lacking? Without water, there simply cannot be life. Not only water is a core human right, but it is also indispensable for our economies, ensuring food and energy security, promoting peace and health, and protecting nature and combatting climate change.
Water stress is increasing across the world. 40% of the world’s population is affected by water scarcity due to overdemand, mismanagement, and the impact of the triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
The time to boost action has arrived. The UN Water Conference taking place between 22 and 24 March 2023 in New York represents the perfect opportunity to accelerate such action and get back on track to achieve our set targets.
The EU has proven committed to the preservation of water for decades, not merely considering water as a commercial product, but also as a common good and limited resources that needs to be protected and used sustainably. The Water Framework Directive represents the main legal framework on which EU policy has been built upon. The Directive aims to prevent and reduce pollution, promote sustainable water use, protect and improve the aquatic environment, and mitigate the effects of floods and droughts.
At the UN Water Conference, the Commission will present a set of voluntary commitments, proving the EU’s will for concrete and transformative actions. On this occasion, the EU will advocate for:
- access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a human right
- protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems for sustainable development, climate mitigation, and adaptation
- promoting a more integrated approach to the management of water resources across sectors
- promoting circularity in the use of water for industry, energy, and agriculture by increasing water efficiency and water reuse
- developing transboundary water cooperation, as a catalyst for peace and security
- mobilising public and private finance, research and innovation, and knowledge sharing
With only seven years left to achieve the SDGs, time is ticking faster than ever before. If aiming to meet SDG 6, governments will have to work four times the speed, but most importantly they will need to work together. Being water a transboundary and common good, the EU cannot address the issue alone. Shift, collective action is indeed needed at all levels.
Water affects us all and it is our duty to protect it. From small everyday actions to bigger scale ones, every drop we save is leading us a step closer to ensuring that every person on this planet has access to clean and safe water.
