Today, water stress due to climatic hazards such as extreme droughts and floods is affecting many countries, limiting their access to clean drinking water. This year, World Water Week, which takes place from 23 August to 1 September, focuses on the value of water for people, nature, climate change and development.
Mangrove forests are key allies in the fight against climate change, but they are rapidly disappearing due to deforestation, pollution, urban development, and overexploitation. Local communities in Kenya, Colombia and Viet Nam are working to restore mangroves and protect their vital ecological role.
One year after the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, global temperatures continue to rise. Yet, promising initiatives to tackle this issue are emerging from national and local governments, including early warning systems, real-time alerts and urban cooling infrastructure.
Land degradation threatens biodiversity and food production, but it also destabilizes communities, weakens immune systems and increases the spread of disease. In drylands — which already cover more than 40 per cent of the Earth’s surface — rates of malnutrition, respiratory illness and waterborne disease are rising.