World to come together for UN water summit

NEW DELHI: In what can be termed as a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity, the United Nations General Assembly, with support from the governments of the Netherlands and Tajikistan, will convene the UN Water Conference in New York next week.

Between March 22-24, world leaders from government, business and civil society will assemble in New York for a historic opportunity, as for the first time since 1977 the United Nations is hosting a conference on the world's most precious resource: Water.

Billions of people worldwide still live without safely managed drinking water and sanitation, even though access to both services has long been defined as a human right. Many water sources are becoming more polluted, and ecosystems that provide water are disappearing. Climate change is disrupting the water cycle, causing droughts and floods. Water is everyone's business, and the conference is inclusive and cross-sectoral.

The conference – formally known as the 2023 Conference for the Midterm Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018-2028) – is the most important water event in a generation. It aims to raise awareness of the global water crisis and decide on concerted action to achieve the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets, including those contained in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

With many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) off track, progress in implementation of Goal 6 (water and sanitation) is key to the achievement of other SDGs, particularly on health, food, gender equity, education, livelihoods, industry, climate and the environment.

The conference will launch the Water Action Agenda as a main outcome, which represents the voluntary commitments at all levels, including by governments, institutions, and local communities. The agenda will help mobilize action by governments, sectors and stakeholders to meet the global water-related goals and targets. Currently 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries, of which more than 733 million people–-approximately 10 per cent of the global population – live in countries with high and critical water stress.

Water scarcity, drought, floods, pollution and other climate change impacts are key challenges to sustainable agriculture and rural development.

Described as a "one-in-a-generation" opportunity, the UN 2023 Water Conference will seek to develop innovative and transformative ideas and a "beyond business as usual" approach to deliver clear commitments, pledges, and actions, across all sectors, industries, and interests, explained Lynn Wagner of Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IANS