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The Imus–Ylang Ylang–Rio Grande Rivers in Cavite, Philippines were once-vibrant waterways that supported fishing, recreation, and livelihoods across ten municipalities. Decades of pollution, industrial and domestic wastewater discharge, improper waste disposal (especially plastics), erosion and siltation have transformed them into degraded rivers with severe water contamination. To revive the rivers, local governments, communities and agencies have introduced a mix of solutions. These include installing trash traps and waste-management systems upstream, building sanitary landfills, composting organic waste, reinforcing buffer zones along riverbanks, and deploying “river rangers” to manually remove plastic and other debris. Flood-risk management infrastructure — such as the 35-hectare Imus Retarding Basin and the nearby Bacoor Retarding Basin — has been completed to store excess rainfall and prevent overflow, reducing downstream flooding risk. Downstream, community-led reforestation and mangrove-restoration efforts aim to rehabilitate coastal zones and wetlands.
Helena collects water from a borehole in Giraul village in Angola, where the river has stopped flowing. Women are desperate to collect water for their families amid prolonged drought, but cholera outbreaks have been reported in the area due to contaminated water. Clean water is essential during childbirth – without it, the risk of infection increases. Birthing equipment must be properly cleaned, and new mothers need safe water for bathing. Maria, a traditional midwife in Giraul, who provides a lifeline for women who can’t make the journey to a hospital, asks women to collect water before they go into labour. UNFPA is training midwives to help women deliver safely, as well as delivering youth programmes that help pregnant adolescents get the care and support they need and stay in school. UNICEF and the World Food Programme are working with the Government of Angola to manage drought and provide water and food support to the region.
As the planet weeps for its dwindling water resources, the World Bank’s Global Water Monitoring Report reveals alarming trends: we lose 324 billion cubic meters of fresh water each year, meeting the annual needs of 280 million people. Over the last two decades, fresh water reserves have dropped by 3% annually, with arid regions facing declines of up to 10%. This crisis threatens not only our ecosystems but also employment, agriculture, and energy production. As world leaders convene in Belem, Brazil, for COP30, they will have vital insights to tackle these pressing challenges and foster a sustainable future.
Lakes are among the most vital natural resources on our planet. They provide essential fresh water for drinking, agriculture, and industry. Lakes also play a key role in maintaining biodiversity and contributing to climate regulation. However, they are increasingly threatened by a combination of overuse, pollution and climate change. We must act now. On this first World Lake Day (27 August), let's raise awareness about the challenges lakes face. Let’s take action today to sustain life tomorrow.
Water is at the heart of the climate challenge: it carries the impacts of global heating, but also holds solutions for cutting emissions, boosting resilience, and protecting ecosystems. World Water Week (24–28 August, Stockholm), hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute and featuring strong engagement from UN agencies, places water at the forefront of climate action. Over five days, experts explore how smarter water management can drive mitigation, adaptation, and climate justice, ensuring no community is left behind. Check the program and join online!
Declared a human right by the United Nations in 2010, clean water and sanitation are essential for life, health, and dignity. Yet over 2 billion people lack safe drinking water, and nearly half the world lives without safely managed sanitation services. Climate change, pollution, and scarcity are pushing this lifeline to the brink. UN-Water is calling for urgent global action. Improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene could save 1.4 million lives every year. Water is life. Without it, there is no future.
In the Mixteca region of Oaxaca, Mexico, communities face increasingly unreliable rains and severe droughts, worsened by climate change. The drought of 2022 was notably harsh, highlighting the need for innovative solutions to adapt to the changing climate. With support from the Global Environment Facility and UNDP, the local organization Alternativas y Participación Social developed a mobile solar-powered water pump to address water scarcity. This pump can be used across different wells to store and irrigate drought-resistant amaranth crops, a drought-tolerant grain and ‘superfood’ native to Mexico. The project produced 20 units for local cooperatives and provided training on their use and maintenance.
In Al-Hajar, Yemen, a new irrigation system by IOM restored water access, reviving farming and bringing hope to a drought-stricken village after years of conflict and hardship.
Glaciers, which hold around 70% of the Earth's fresh water, are vital for regulating climate, sustaining ecosystems, and supporting nearly 2 billion people who rely on glacier meltwater. Found on every continent except Australia, they have deep cultural significance for Indigenous Peoples. However, glaciers are rapidly shrinking due to climate change, causing disruptions in the water cycle, altering river currents, and increasing competition for resources. As glaciers melt, they contribute to sea-level rise and fuel extreme weather events. The release of toxins from thawing permafrost further threatens water quality. Despite these challenges, we can act by combining scientific and Indigenous knowledge to protect glaciers, improve land-use practices, and engage local communities to ensure their preservation.
At 5,100 meters above sea level, Bolivia's Huayna Potosí glacier faces thinning and retreating at an annual rate of about 24 meters. The landscape, once filled with thick blue ice, now reveals bare rock and a newly formed meltwater lake. A team of scientists ascends the glacier to install equipment that measures water accumulation in the form of snow, vital for the glacier's survival. Their work provides crucial data on the impacts of ice loss on ecosystems and communities relying on glacier water. This research aids in raising awareness among decision-makers and establishing an international monitoring network to understand how climate change affects the cryosphere. As glaciers retreat faster than expected, efforts in Bolivia focus on conserving remaining water by creating reservoirs and developing collaborative water usage arrangements to prevent future conflicts.
Glaciers are crucial for regulating the global climate and providing freshwater, essential for billions of people, animals, and plants. However, these vital resources are rapidly melting due to climate change, driven mainly by human activities since the 1800s. The United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation to highlight the importance of glaciers and ensure that those affected by glacier´s melting receive the support they need. Follow the official year’s launch (21 January, 2pm, CET) and join WMO and UNESCO to spread the word for glaciers.
In Senegal's Bousra Ndawène village, pastoralists from Senegal, Gambia, Mali, and Mauritania travel annually along a 110-km transhumance corridor, seeking fresh pastures for their livestock. Babacar Ndaw, a local farmer and breeder, helps manage resources, balancing the needs of both pastoralists and locals. The Regional Sahel Pastoralism Support Project (PRAPS) has improved infrastructure, animal health services, and water access, reducing conflicts and supporting over 350,000 pastoralists in Senegal. PRAPS aims to assist more than a million pastoralists by 2027, preserving pastoralism while ensuring sustainable resource use.
Water should be managed as a common good accessible to all, rather than as a market commodity, says the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation. Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, advocates for a human rights-based approach to water management, arguing that access should not depend on an individual’s ability to pay. Arrojo-Agudo highlights water's crucial role in societal cohesion and outlines three priorities for water usage: “water for life,” essential for human dignity; “water in functions of general interest,” vital for society; and “water economy,” used for productive activities. His report offers recommendations for managing water as a common good, including principles of non-deterioration, restoration of polluted ecosystems, cost recovery for services, and cost-effectiveness.
Yemen's West Coast faces a severe water crisis, worsened by conflict and climate change, with International Organization for Migration providing vital relief.