A UN report warns of a looming global water crisis and imminent water shortages due to uncontrolled consumption and climate change, the BBC reports.
The report says the world is «blindly heading down a dangerous path» and comes ahead of a UN water summit. The three-day meeting in New York will begin on Wednesday, the 22nd of March, and will gather thousands of delegates from all over the world.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stated that water resources, irreplaceable for human survival, are being reduced by pollution, uncontrolled global warming, and lack of sustainability in the field of water management. A joint UN-UNESCO report says overconsumption and pollution are the cause of endemic water scarcity, while global warming will exacerbate seasonal water availability problems in all regions of the world.
One of the leading authors of the report, Richard Connor, said that about 10% of the world’s population currently lives in areas with high or critical water stress:
«In our report, we say that up to 3.5 billion people live under conditions of water stress at least one month a year.»
UN Deputy Secretary-General Usha Rao Monari told the BBC that in the future, it is necessary to think about the wise use of resources – there is enough water on the planet, we just need to find ways to use it wisely. She pointed out that technologies and innovations will play a big role in creating a new approach.
The summit is hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan and will bring together around 6,500 participants, including around 100 ministers and dozens of heads of state and government.