Two-thirds of world’s population face and live in water-stressed areas by 2025: Report

Two-thirds of the world’s population may face water scarcity by 2025: Report

World Water Day – 2022

Every year on March 22nd, the world commemorates World Water Day with the purpose of emphasising the significance of water and raising awareness about the global water crisis. According to the United Nations, the day’s major purpose is to ‘help the accomplishment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.’

When was world water day first celebrated?

On December 22, 1992, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution designating March 22 as World Water Day, which has been commemorated internationally since 1993.

According to the United Nations, one out of every three individuals lacks access to safe drinking water. Two-thirds of the world’s population may face water scarcity by 2025. Ecosystems all over the world will be harmed even more. It is past time for every human on the earth to begin conserving water and finding new ways to save it.

What is the theme for World Water Day 2022?

Year after year, World Water Day is tied with a theme. This theme gives insight on a variety of concerns regarding the cause. ‘Groundwater: Making the invisible visible’ is the theme for World Water Day 2022 to emphasise the importance of water in our daily lives. ‘Water has enormous and intricate value for our society, food, culture, health, education, economics, and the purity of our natural environment. We risk diminishing this precious and irreplaceable resource if we ignore any of these ideals,’ the UN website cautions.

Water and Agriculture

According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2022, Irrigated agriculture continues to account for 70% of freshwater withdrawals (FAO, 2020). The use of water for food processing is also significant, accounting for up to 5% of global water use.

Also Read | World Water Day 2021- importance, origin, why on march 22 and how in India.

It is critical to increase agricultural productivity through sustainable intensification of groundwater abstraction while decreasing water and environmental footprints of agricultural production in order to meet global water and agricultural demands by 2050, including an estimated 50% increase in food, feed, and biofuel relative to 2012 levels.

Irrigated agriculture, livestock farming, and other agricultural activities, including food processing, all rely on groundwater.