By 2030, 700 million people may become refugees due to lack of fresh water. Its deficit is mainly caused by the irrational use of this natural resource. This is one of the conclusions of the new report “Let's take care of every drop of water: the water agenda”.
The report was prepared by a group of 11 heads of state and special advisers. Among them is Tajik President Mr. Emomali Rahmon. Today, this document was submitted to the UN Secretary General.
The report provides an assessment of the state of freshwater in the world. It turned out that inefficient water consumption, inefficient water resources management and lack of infrastructure lead to the fact that millions of people experience water shortages, many die from diseases associated with a lack of adequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.
“World leaders have recognized that we are experiencing a global water crisis. Today we need to reconsider our approach to how we conserve water and handle its supplies, ”said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a news conference on the presentation of the new document.
According to the report, now almost 40 percent of the world's inhabitants, in one way or another, suffer from a shortage of fresh water. By 2030, due to lack of water, about 700 million people may become refugees. Today, more than two billion people drink contaminated water. 4.5 billion — deprived of adequate sanitation services. These people are among the poorest of the poor.
“Our body is sixty percent water, so this is not an exaggeration when we say that water scarcity is a matter of life and death,” said Antonio Guterres.
The authors of the report assessed the main problems associated with water shortages, such as population growth, urbanization, changing
ecosystems, growing demand for food, the state of industry and energy. They analyzed the state of water quality and described the consequences of its inefficient use for the environment, including a reminder of how much untreated water enters the soil and water reservoirs.
About 80 percent of all wastewater is not treated and discharged into the environment as untreated.
The new report presents a kind of new water action plan. Its main task is reduced to the need to improve the system of managing fresh water reserves in order to achieve the Sixth Goal in the field of sustainable development.
“The recommendations of the group are aimed at preserving water resources and ensuring for everyone, without exception, access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation,” the UN head stressed.
Recall that according to the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in July 2010, everyone has the right to access to sufficient water for personal and domestic needs - from 50 to 100 liters per day per person.