Bidyot Bhowmik
Water is life, water is wealth and water is vital to human survival ||| Bidyot Bhowmik
World Water Day is observed annually on 22nd March to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It was recommended to celebrate in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janerio. The United Nations General Assembly designated March 22 as the World Water Day since 1993 in order to highlight the importance of water in human life. In 1993 the first World Water Day was celebrated globally. The UN 2023 Water Conference will be held in New York from 22 to 24 March 2023. By discussing what needs to change, we should create a collective action plan to help us reach our goals faster than ever. 60% of freshwater resources worldwide are shared by two or more countries. Transboundary water co-operation is vital for peace, sustainable development and climate action. World water day is held on 22nd March every year. We celebrate the day to bring attention to one of the leading environmental issues, “Scarcity of water.” Water is life, and we cannot even imagine our life without water.
Water is life, water is wealth. Water is vital to our survival. Water is the most essential building block of life. It is a campaign to increase awareness among the people about the need, importance and conservation of water. Water resource is very significant element for every walk of life including agriculture, industry, fisheries, livestock and other produces. The theme of World Water Day 2023 is accelerating change. The theme for the United Nation’s World Water Day 2023, timed to coincide with United Nations (UN) Water Conference, is “accelerating change” to solve the global water and sanitation crisis. This theme aims to urge governments, civil society, and individuals to accelerate progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6. To ensure safe drinking, bathing, and using proper sanitation facilities for everyone, we need more action, ambition, and innovation.
The main goal is to fulfill the commitments of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure that Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) are seen as core elements in all sectors. Additionally, the theme explores how to coordinate action across multiple sectors, strengthen the collaboration among stakeholders, and maximize impact. The theme of World Water Day 2022 was Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible. The theme was decided at the 30th annual meeting of UN-Water held in Rome.
It is a very sad news that out 7.6 billion people that live on this planet (our mother earth), 2.2 billion people on earth don’t have access to safe water. World Water Day is celebrated with a view to taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. Let us do something individually and collectively to raise public awareness in order to access fresh water for all, stop water pollution and conserve our valuable water resources every where on earth.
We should not forget that he global climate crisis is inextricably linked to water. Climate change increases variability in the water cycle, inducing extreme weather events, reducing the predictability of water availability, affecting water quality and threatening sustainable development and biodiversity worldwide. Growing demand for water increases the need for energy-intensive water pumping, transportation, and treatment, and has contributed to the degradation of critical water-dependent carbon sinks such as peatlands. And, some climate change mitigation measures, such as the expanded use of biofuels, are further exacerbating water scarcity.
Water safety and water quality are fundamental to human development and well-being. Providing access to safe water is one of the most effective instruments in promoting health and reducing poverty. As the international authority on public health and water quality, World Health Organization leads global efforts to prevent transmission of waterborne diseases. This is achieved by promoting health-based regulations to governments and working with partners to promote effective risk management practices to water suppliers, communities and households. At the international level, UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) 2019 surveyed 29 external support agencies and found that they are prioritizing a focus on WASH systems strengthening. WASH is a foundation of public health and a catalyst for many areas of development. The ambition of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6 is high, but every step towards better WASH services for more people is a step towards eradicating extreme poverty and improving health and well-being for all.
Source: UN-Water (GLAAS), Earth Reminder and United Nations
Former professor, writer and advisor to CBNA, Montreal, Canada, 21st March 2023
