Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is the most basic human need for health and well-being. If progress is not quadrupled, billions of people will lack access to these basic services by 2030. Demand for water is increasing due to rapid population growth, urbanisation and growing water needs in agriculture, industry and energy sectors. Therefore, decades of misuse, poor management, overexploitation of groundwater and pollution of freshwater supplies have exacerbated the water crisis. In addition, countries face increasing challenges related to degraded water-related ecosystems, water scarcity caused by climate change, low investment in water and sanitation and insufficient cooperation on cross-border water.
At the same time, to reach universal access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030, current rates of progress will need to be increased fourfold. Achieving these goals would save 829,000 people annually who die from diseases directly caused by unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene practices.
#Facts and figures related to #UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 i.e. ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all
Despite great progress, billions of people still do not have access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene. Achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require substantial increases in current global rates of progress. Sixfold for drinking water, fivefold for sanitation and threefold for hygiene. At the same time, water use efficiency has increased by 9 percent, but water stress and water scarcity remain a concern in many parts of the world. In 2020, 2.4 billion people lived in countries with water scarcity. The challenges have become even more complex due to conflict and climate change.
In fact, key strategies to get Goal 6 back on track include increasing sector-wide investment and capacity-building, promoting innovation and evidence-based action, enhancing inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration among all stakeholders, and adopting a more integrated and holistic approach to water management. At the same time, Only 0.5 percent of the water on Earth is usable and fresh water is available. Therefore, the report warns to be aware of the increasing water crisis.
At the same time, according to the World Meteorological Organization, limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2°C will reduce the proportion of the world’s population suffering from water scarcity by almost half. However, there is a lot of variation between regions. (Reference Chapter 8: Water Cycle Change – Page 1063) At the same time, the global urban population facing water scarcity is estimated to double from 930 million in 2016 to 1.7-2.4 billion in 2050. UNESCO’s report related to the warning of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2023, the imminent threat of global water crisis, teaches us to behave consciously.







