World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. 

The idea for this international day goes back to 1992, the year in which the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro took place. That same year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by which March 22 of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993.

Water is an essential building block of life. It is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health. Water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development. 

World Water Day raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis.

Every year World Water Day follows a theme to highlight a cause. This year, the theme for World Water Day is ‘water and climate change’. The theme highlights the urgent importance of strengthening water security and establishing access to a sustainable water supply in the face of changing climate conditions worldwide.

‘Water resources under unprecedented threat’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that without further efforts, between 3.5 and 4.4 billion people in the world will live with limited access to water, with more than 1 billion of them in major cities.

In his message on World Water Day, the UN chief said that “the world’s water resources are under unprecedented threat”, a news agency reported.

“Today, some 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water and 4.2 billion people live without access to adequate sanitation. Unless we act with urgency, the impacts of climate change are projected to exacerbate these figures,” he said.

The Secretary-General said that with 2020 a make-or-break year for climate action, this focus is timely.

“Water is the primary medium through which we perceive the effects of climate disruption, from extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, to glacial melting, saltwater intrusion and sea level rise,” he added.

“Global heating and unsustainable use will create unprecedented competition for water resources, leading to the displacement of millions of people. This will negatively affect health and productivity and act as a threat multiplier for instability and conflict,” said the UN chief.

Talking about the solution, Guterres said that “we must urgently scale up investments in healthy watersheds and water infrastructure, with dramatic improvements in the efficiency of water use”.

“We must anticipate and respond to climate risks at every level of water management. We need to urgently step up efforts to strengthen resilience and adaptation for people affected by climate disruption,” he said.

“Above all, we must use this year and COP26 (the 2020 UN Climate Change Conference) in Glasgow to bend the emissions curve and create a secure foundation for water sustainability."

The UN chief asked all people to play a role to help alleviate the shortage of water.

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