Today we celebrate the launch of the Water Action Decade and World Water Day.
It is a critical moment as our world faces a water crisis.
During the past decade, water-related disasters have not only struck more frequently but have also more severely, hampering sustainable development.
90% of disasters in the world are water-related, such as floods, including flash flooding, droughts, deforestation and desertification.
The impacts of climate change are aggravating these challenges.
More extreme water-related hazards are becoming the new norm.
It is simply impossible to achieve social and economic progress if development gains are so regularly wiped out, often overnight.
Excellencies,
Water is essential for all stages of energy production, from the extraction of raw materials, to cooling and cleaning. It is needed for the production of biofuels, and for powering turbines.
That is why the water and energy nexus is so critical.
Simply put, energy needs water; water needs energy.
Roughly 75% of all industrial water withdrawals are used for energy production.
Likewise, energy is required to ensure water supply for consumption and production, for irrigation, for treatment, and for desalination.
80% of the world’s waste water flows into the ocean without basic treatment, in part due to lack of energy.
Water and energy are both recognized as cross-cutting. They underpin progress across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ensuring access to water and energy for all will have a positive impact on the rest of the Sustainable Development Goals, from health to education, to infrastructure, to job creation and economic growth.
In this regard, I wish to mention that UN-DESA provides secretariat services to both UN-Water and UN-Energy, which serve as collaborative mechanisms for the UN system and external partners.
UN-DESA has also convened a multi-stakeholder SDG7 Technical Advisory Group to support the review of SDG7.
From this nexus of water and energy we also see the linkages to other sustainable development goals and targets, including sanitation.
Today, around 4.5 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services, and 2.1 billion people live without access to safely managed drinking water services.
Women and girls suffer disproportionately when water and sanitation are lacking, affecting health, and often restricting work and education opportunities.
Without access to safe drinking water and sanitation, we cannot ensure good health, food security, dignity and equality for all. Nor can we help protect our fragile ecosystems.
This July, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development offers a timely opportunity to explore these interlinkages, including an in-depth follow-up and review of the progress made in the implementation of SDG 6 on water and sanitation.
As the secretariat for the High-level Political Forum, UN DESA is working with all stakeholders to catalyze exchange of experiences and mutual learning and to mobilize further action.
For example, in October this year, DESA will convene a global symposium on synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda. These agreements, as well as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, all call for addressing water challenges, and opportunities, in a more concerted and integrated way.
The Sustainable Development Goals in particular, present fresh opportunities for synergies, and for a balanced and integrated implementation of the entire 2030 Agenda.
Excellencies,Last week, the High-Level Panel on Water handed over its outcome report to the UN Secretary-General, “Making every drop count: An agenda for water action”.
The Panel calls for a new approach and recommends actions to transform our water challenges into opportunities.
The Panel calls for shifting the focus of disaster management from response to preparedness and resilience.
It also recommends using the Water Action Decade as a platform for policy dialogue, exchange of best practices, and building global partnerships.
I am convinced that World Water Day 2018 will be remembered as a big step ahead for the global water agenda, and for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Water connects us, unites us. Let us work together for a sustainable future.
I wish you all a successful Water Action Decade.
Thank you.
It is a critical moment as our world faces a water crisis.
During the past decade, water-related disasters have not only struck more frequently but have also more severely, hampering sustainable development.
90% of disasters in the world are water-related, such as floods, including flash flooding, droughts, deforestation and desertification.
The impacts of climate change are aggravating these challenges.
More extreme water-related hazards are becoming the new norm.
It is simply impossible to achieve social and economic progress if development gains are so regularly wiped out, often overnight.
Excellencies,
Water is essential for all stages of energy production, from the extraction of raw materials, to cooling and cleaning. It is needed for the production of biofuels, and for powering turbines.
That is why the water and energy nexus is so critical.
Simply put, energy needs water; water needs energy.
Roughly 75% of all industrial water withdrawals are used for energy production.
Likewise, energy is required to ensure water supply for consumption and production, for irrigation, for treatment, and for desalination.
80% of the world’s waste water flows into the ocean without basic treatment, in part due to lack of energy.
Water and energy are both recognized as cross-cutting. They underpin progress across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ensuring access to water and energy for all will have a positive impact on the rest of the Sustainable Development Goals, from health to education, to infrastructure, to job creation and economic growth.
In this regard, I wish to mention that UN-DESA provides secretariat services to both UN-Water and UN-Energy, which serve as collaborative mechanisms for the UN system and external partners.
UN-DESA has also convened a multi-stakeholder SDG7 Technical Advisory Group to support the review of SDG7.
From this nexus of water and energy we also see the linkages to other sustainable development goals and targets, including sanitation.
Today, around 4.5 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services, and 2.1 billion people live without access to safely managed drinking water services.
Women and girls suffer disproportionately when water and sanitation are lacking, affecting health, and often restricting work and education opportunities.
Without access to safe drinking water and sanitation, we cannot ensure good health, food security, dignity and equality for all. Nor can we help protect our fragile ecosystems.
This July, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development offers a timely opportunity to explore these interlinkages, including an in-depth follow-up and review of the progress made in the implementation of SDG 6 on water and sanitation.
As the secretariat for the High-level Political Forum, UN DESA is working with all stakeholders to catalyze exchange of experiences and mutual learning and to mobilize further action.
For example, in October this year, DESA will convene a global symposium on synergies between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda. These agreements, as well as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, all call for addressing water challenges, and opportunities, in a more concerted and integrated way.
The Sustainable Development Goals in particular, present fresh opportunities for synergies, and for a balanced and integrated implementation of the entire 2030 Agenda.
Excellencies,Last week, the High-Level Panel on Water handed over its outcome report to the UN Secretary-General, “Making every drop count: An agenda for water action”.
The Panel calls for a new approach and recommends actions to transform our water challenges into opportunities.
The Panel calls for shifting the focus of disaster management from response to preparedness and resilience.
It also recommends using the Water Action Decade as a platform for policy dialogue, exchange of best practices, and building global partnerships.
I am convinced that World Water Day 2018 will be remembered as a big step ahead for the global water agenda, and for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Water connects us, unites us. Let us work together for a sustainable future.
I wish you all a successful Water Action Decade.
Thank you.
File date:
Thursday, March 22, 2018