Water for the World
Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. There is sufficient fresh water on the planet to achieve this.
But due to bad economics or poor infrastructure, every year millions of people, most of them children, die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.
Water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihood choices and educational opportunities for poor families across the world. Drought afflicts some of the world's poorest countries, worsening hunger and malnutrition.
By 2050, at least one in four people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or recurring shortages of fresh water.
Facts and figures
- 1.7 billion people have gained access to safe drinking water since 1990, but 884 million people are still without.
- 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines.
- Each day, an average of 5,000 children die due to preventable water and sanitation-related diseases.
- Hydropower is the most important and widely-used renewable source of energy, representing 19 per cent of total electricity production worldwide.
- Approximately 70 per cent of all available water is used for irrigation.
- Floods account for 15 per cent of all deaths related to natural disasters.
Stories
- Parched plains of Iran gain new life
- Hours spent carrying water now spent in school in Nepal
- Water harvesting in Malir, Pakistan
- Cool springs in Moldova
Videos
Related
- UN-Water
- World Water Assessment Programme
- UNESCO Water
- UNDP Water and Ocean Governance
- Human Development Report on Global Water Crisis
- UN Water for Life Decade
- UN-HABITAT Water and Sanitation
- Drop by Drop Ad Competition
Want to get involved?
Do you have a vision of a world where we can all access clean water? Are you looking for ideas to conserve water where you live?
Then join the global conversation and connect on Twitter using #futurewewant