active · Health· WASH
Healthy and productive freshwater ecosystems
Despite making up less than 1% of all water on Earth, fresh water is essential for supporting people, prosperity and the planet, and central to securing basic needs, livelihoods and development. Freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, wetlands and aquifers are uniquely important and yet particularly under threat. Under competition from many users for a multiple of different productive, municipal and economic uses, they bear the brunt of human activity through over extraction and pollution and will keenly feel the effects of climate change. Their protection, restoration and management is of utmost concern and importance to all, particularly considering that the majority of UN Member States, 151 out of 193 countries, share part or all of their water resources with another country. These concepts form the basis of the rationale behind Sustainable Development Goal (6), “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” the achievement of which would be instrumental for securing sustainable development. Yet a lack of information, capacity, incentives, tools and involvement of stakeholders including gender aspects is hindering actors, from individual to government to corporate level, from taking steps to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems and achieve water-related SDG targets. Poor land and water management and growing competition, leading to the degradation of water-related ecosystems and the loss of their critical services, is a growing concern worldwide, with an urgent need for action. It is estimated that the world has already lost at least 60% of its natural water bodies since wide-scale development began in 1900, and that one-third to one-seventh of rivers in developing countries face severe pathogenic and organic pollution, including from a lack of safely managed wastewater and from run-off from land-based activities. Growing water stress in many parts of the world, as well as drought and desertification, are further serious concerns which the World Economic Forum among others has identified as some of the most serious threats facing our current and future societies and businesses. At the same time, since most countries share important transboundary water resources, information sharing and cooperation across borders is essential, requiring technical assistance and trust-building measures. There is growing concern that failure to do so can lead to tension and conflict, and further degradation of water bodies. Robust and abundant evidence also exists that freshwater resources are particularly vulnerable and have the potential to be strongly impacted by climate change, with wide-ranging consequences for human societies and ecosystems. Given future trends of population growth, development, and climate change, the integrated management of water resources across uses and users is therefore of utmost importance to ensure the sustainability of freshwater ecosystems and their services.
Overview
About this project
Despite making up less than 1% of all water on Earth, fresh water is essential for supporting people, prosperity and the planet, and central to securing basic needs, livelihoods and development. Freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, wetlands and aquifers are uniquely important and yet particularly under threat. Under competition from many users for a multiple of different productive, municipal and economic uses, they bear the brunt of human activity through over extraction and pollution and will keenly feel the effects of climate change. Their protection, restoration and management is of utmost concern and importance to all, particularly considering that the majority of UN Member States, 151 out of 193 countries, share part or all of their water resources with another country. These concepts form the basis of the rationale behind Sustainable Development Goal (6), “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,” the achievement of which would be instrumental for securing sustainable development. Yet a lack of information, capacity, incentives, tools and involvement of stakeholders including gender aspects is hindering actors, from individual to government to corporate level, from taking steps to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems and achieve water-related SDG targets. Poor land and water management and growing competition, leading to the degradation of water-related ecosystems and the loss of their critical services, is a growing concern worldwide, with an urgent need for action. It is estimated that the world has already lost at least 60% of its natural water bodies since wide-scale development began in 1900, and that one-third to one-seventh of rivers in developing countries face severe pathogenic and organic pollution, including from a lack of safely managed wastewater and from run-off from land-based activities. Growing water stress in many parts of the world, as well as drought and desertification, are further serious concerns which the World Economic Forum among others has identified as some of the most serious threats facing our current and future societies and businesses. At the same time, since most countries share important transboundary water resources, information sharing and cooperation across borders is essential, requiring technical assistance and trust-building measures. There is growing concern that failure to do so can lead to tension and conflict, and further degradation of water bodies. Robust and abundant evidence also exists that freshwater resources are particularly vulnerable and have the potential to be strongly impacted by climate change, with wide-ranging consequences for human societies and ecosystems. Given future trends of population growth, development, and climate change, the integrated management of water resources across uses and users is therefore of utmost importance to ensure the sustainability of freshwater ecosystems and their services.
Progress
0%- Plan
- Implementation
- Outcomes
Alignment