World Water Day

World Water Day 2014 will be on March 22.

Water is arguably the world’s most valuable resource. Humans, plants and animals need it to survive. However, the ‘bottom billion’ who live in slums and impoverished areas must struggle to survive without access to clean, drinkable water. This inequity leaves billions without adequate sanitation, sufficient food or energy services.

World Water Day aims to bring attention to these struggling communities, and to lead the way to energy security and sustainable water use in a green economy. According to UNwater.org, “worldwide, 1.3 billion people cannot access electricity, 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation. Water and energy have crucial impacts on poverty alleviation.”

Objectives of World Water Day in 2014

• Raise awareness of the inter-linkages between water and energy
• Contribute to a policy dialogue that focuses on the broad range of issues related to the nexus of water and energy
• Demonstrate, through case studies, to decision makers in the energy sector and the water domain that integrated approaches and solutions to water-energy issues can achieve greater economic and social impacts
• Identify policy formulation and capacity development issues in which the UN system, in particular UN-Water and UN-Energy, can offer significant contributions
• Identify key stakeholders in the water-energy nexus and actively engaging them in further developing the water-energy linkages
• Contribute as relevant to the post-2015 discussions in relation to the water-energy nexus.

What You Can Do

• Reduce and conserve your water consumption
• Measure your water consumption and figure out where you can cut back
• Use energy-efficient and water-saving devices, such as economical showerheads
• Only use heated water when necessary, as it requires considerably more energy than room temperature

World Water Day was first held in 1992, after a United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. Countries around the world were encouraged to devote the day to implementing UN recommendations on clean water programs.  This year’s celebration highlights the link and interdependence of water and energy.  Particular attention will be given to identifying best practices that can make a water- and energy-efficient ‘Green Industry’ a reality.

For more tips on how you can conserve water and energy, check out Seven Ways to Save Energy by Saving Water, and the World Water Day website.