World Water Day 2020 is celebrated today on 22nd of March. This year’s theme explores how fresh water is strongly linked to climate change and how crucial it is to raise general awareness. World Water Day focuses on three key points. The first is that we can’t afford to wait, the second is that water can fight climate change, and the third is everyone has a role to play.
Lately it became even clearer for everyone that water and sanitation is a precondition of life. But there is still a big amount of the population that doesn’t have access to freshwater and it seems more of a luxury than a declared human right for them. According to the UN’s 2018 World Water Development Report, “an estimated 3.6 billion people live in areas that are potentially water-scarce at least one month per year, and this population could increase to some 4.8–5.7 billion by 2050.” Climate change is a global problem with grave implications. Everyone is responsible and all of society’s water needs must be balanced.
Already, almost one third of the population worldwide is facing water crises and by 2025 this amount is estimated to exceed 60%. Water risks have major impacts not only on human health and ecosystems but also on economic and business growth. It is predicted by the World Bank that by 2050 water scarcity could cost on some districts up to 6% of their GDP. In 2018 alone, companies reported more than $38 billion in financial losses due to water challenges.
Nearly every business depends on and impacts water resources. Thus, it is crucial for the private sector to engage in sustainable water stewardship and integral to responsible business function.
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2018-2028 as the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”. The Water Action Decade commenced on World Water Day, 22 March 2018, and will end on World Water Day, 22 March 2028.
Fighting climate change will open up boundless opportunities for the economy in many areas. We need to embrace circular production systems and find ways to use water much more efficiently, in order to accelerate efforts towards meeting water-related challenges.