Context: UN-Water Scarcity A global study published recently showed that 58 per cent of people from 31 countries are seriously concerned about freshwater shortages, whereas 30 per cent claim to be greatly impacted by it.

About UN-Water:-

• UN-Water is a ‘coordination mechanism’.
• It coordinates the United Nations’ work on water and sanitation.
• There is no single United Nations Agency, Fund or Programme dedicated exclusively to water issues.
• Over 30 United Nations organizations carry out water and sanitation programmes because these issues run through all of the United Nations’ main focus areas.

Composition: It is comprised of United Nations entities (Members) and international organizations (Partners) working on water and sanitation issues.

Objective: UN-Water’s role is to ensure that Members and Partners ‘deliver as one’ in response to water-related challenges.

Major Causes of Water Scarcity

Recent studies indicate that approximately 1.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, leading to various health issues. Water scarcity stems from increased demand and depleted freshwater sources.

Some of the major causes of Water Scarcity are discussed below:

Overuse of water

• Growing overuse of water is a contemporary concern.
• Excessive water consumption by individuals is becoming common.
• Water misuse extends to various sources like animals and land.
• Recreational activities often disregard environmental consequences.

Pollution of water

• Increasing water pollution is a significant contemporary concern, contributing to water scarcity.
• Water pollution arises from diverse sources, including oil, chemicals, carcasses, and fecal matter.
• Addressing this issue is crucial, as clean water is an essential necessity.

Drought

• Drought occurs in hot and arid regions.
• These areas often experience insufficient rainfall.
• This lack of rain poses challenges for sustaining life.
• Some regions are consistently dry, while others face intermittent dry spells.

Global warming

• Global warming contributes significantly to water scarcity.
• Rising average air temperatures accelerate evaporation of water from rivers and lakes.
• This can result in the depletion of water bodies.
• Communities reliant on these water sources suffer the most.
• Addressing these factors is crucial to combat water scarcity.

Groundwater pollution

• Excessive use of fertilizers and harmful substances
• Results in groundwater pollution
• Contributes to water scarcity

Functioning:-

UN-Water has three lines of work:

• Informing policy processes and addressing emerging issues
• Supporting monitoring and reporting on water and sanitation
• Building knowledge and inspiring people to act

Members and Partners:-

• All activities outlined in UN-Water’s Work Programme are primarily implemented through its Members and Partners.
• UN-Water’s Members: are United Nations agencies, programmes and funds with a water-related mandate.
• UN-Water’s Partners: are international organizations, professional unions, associations or other civil society groups that are actively involved in water.

Water scarcity and the MDGs

Here are some key points connecting water scarcity and the MDGs:

1. Access to Clean Water (MDG 7, Target 7.C): One of the MDGs was to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Water scarcity often impedes progress towards this goal, as regions facing water scarcity struggle to provide access to clean and safe drinking water for their populations.
2. Health and Well-being (MDG 4 and 5): Water scarcity can lead to inadequate sanitation facilities, which in turn can result in the spread of waterborne diseases. Achieving MDGs related to child health and maternal health (MDG 4 and 5) becomes more challenging when communities lack access to clean water.
3. Agricultural Productivity (MDG 1, Target 1.A): Water scarcity affects agriculture, which is the primary livelihood for many people in developing countries. Insufficient water resources can lead to reduced crop yields and food insecurity, making it difficult to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (MDG 1).
4. Environmental Sustainability (MDG 7, Target 7.A): Water scarcity often leads to over-extraction of water resources and environmental degradation. Sustainable management of water resources was a key aspect of MDG 7, which aimed to ensure environmental sustainability.
5. Gender Equality (MDG 3): Women and girls are often responsible for fetching water in many communities. When water is scarce, women and girls may spend a significant portion of their time and effort on this task, limiting their access to education and economic opportunities, which is relevant to MDG 3 on gender equality.
6. Partnerships (MDG 8, Target 8.F): Collaborative efforts and partnerships were essential in achieving the MDGs. Addressing water scarcity requires cooperation among governments, international organizations, and local communities, reflecting the spirit of MDG 8.

Did you know?

1. Presently, approximately 700 million individuals across 43 nations contend with water scarcity.
2. Projections for 2025 suggest that 1.8 billion people will inhabit regions with severe water scarcity, while two-thirds of the global population could face water stress.
3. Under the current climate change trajectory, nearly half of the world’s inhabitants may confront high water stress by 2030. This includes an estimated 75 million to 250 million people in Africa, with some arid and semi-arid regions potentially displacing between 24 million and 700 million individuals due to water scarcity.
4. Sub-Saharan Africa stands out as the region with the highest concentration of water-stressed countries.

United Nations efforts that are actively addressing and spotlighting the concern…

1. World Water Day 2007: Coping with water scarcity

World Water Day in 2007 centered on the theme “Adapting to Water Scarcity.” This theme emphasized the growing global importance of addressing water scarcity and underscored the imperative for enhanced collaboration and integration to secure the sustainable, effective, and fair management of limited water resources. This call for action applied to both international and local levels.

2. World Day to Combat Desertification in 2013

The focus of the 2013 World Day to Combat Desertification centers on the issues of drought and water scarcity. The chosen slogan for this year, “Preserve Our Future: Combat Drought and Water Scarcity,” urges collective action to enhance readiness and resilience in the face of water scarcity, desertification, and drought. It encapsulates the idea that we all share a responsibility for the conservation and sustainable utilization of water and land resources and that viable solutions exist for these pressing natural resource dilemmas.

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