World Water Day
World Water Day celebrates to raise awareness on water conservation and focus on the issue that the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and Sanitation for all by 2030.
World Water Day 2020 theme
World Water Day 2020 is about Water and Climate Change – and how the two are inextricably linked. The campaign shows how our use of water will help reduce floods, droughts, scarcity and pollution and will help fight climate change itself. By adapting to the water effects of climate change, we can protect health and save lives. And, by using water more efficiently, we can reduce green house gases. “Our bodies, our cities and our industries, our agriculture and our ecosystems all depend on it. Water is a human right. Nobody should be denied access.”
— UN Secretary-General António Guterres
In 2010, the UN recognized “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights."
Problems
The global climate crisis is inextricably linked to water. Climate change increases variability in the water cycle, inducing extreme weather events, reducing the predictability of water availability, affecting water quality and threatening sustainable development and biodiversity Worldwide. Growing demand for water increases the need for energy-intensive water pumping, transportation, and treatment, and has contributed to the degradation of critical water-dependent carbon sinks such as peatlands.
Water is the primary medium through which we will feel the effects of climate change. Water availability is becoming less predictable in many places, and increased incidences of flooding threaten to destroy water points and sanitation facilities and contaminate water sources. In some regions, droughts are exacerbating water scarcity and thereby negatively impacting people’s health and productivity.
South Africa is one of the first countries facing the situation of the water crisis. Cape Town, ran out of water during 2019. Durban is another South African city which is facing water crisis. The dams in Durban are 20 per cent lower than the start of 2010. There are a number of reasons that contribute to this growing water crisis in South Africa, however, climate change is a major reason of all. Other Countries like Brazil, Jordan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Japan and Mexico are facing similar situations.