A Glimpse into the Global and Local Water Crisis | World Water Day 2021



Written by: Vrinda Panpalia

Compiled and Edited by: Rebecca Shibu


The world’s population has doubled in the last 40 years, and water consumption has quadrupled. Foreseeing the future, by 2050, 1 in 5 developing countries will face water shortages. And, the shortage would lead to a consequent water stressed globe. The World Resources Institute observed that India with a number of its neighboring countries ranked in the top 50 for the world's most water stressed countries projected for 2040. In light of this, the road ahead is a tough one and only conscious measures can bring the required change.


World Water Day is a United Nations initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of water and encouraging people to take action to address the emerging water crisis. The day focuses on the importance of fresh water and advocates for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day is also used to highlight required improvements for access to water, sanitation, hygiene facilities in developing countries.  It also aims to promote washing hands and having stable hygiene to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

World Water Day, every year focuses on a different issue by portraying the issue as the theme of the year. The theme for this year comes as a reminder to every individual: valuing water. The value of water is much more than its economic value. It was noted in the UN World Water Development Report, 2020 that food security, human health, urban and rural settlements, energy production, industrial development, economic growth, and ecosystems are all water-dependent and thus vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Climate change adaptation and mitigation through water management is therefore critical to sustainable development, and essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.


Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/water-scarcity

The crisis around water has risen to such proportions that it is now a global concern. And the situation is only going to get a lot worse. Aside from the inherited insecurity and human development impediments caused by water scarcity, recent research has found that differences in water access are leading to political repression, gendered violence, and ethnic conflicts.

 

India is experiencing one of the worst national water crises in the world. It is currently the epicenter of the world's water and sanitation crisis. More than half of India's population lacks access to safe drinking water, and 200,000 people die each year as a result of this lack. Many rural communities on the outskirts of India's urban sprawl have no alternative but to drill wells to access groundwater sources. According to a UNICEF study, more than two crore children in India are highly vulnerable to water scarcity. 


Source: Business Insider

The government has been working on solutions to this problem. It has worked on groundwater recharging projects, micro-irrigation, and regulatory changes to improve water management in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that by 2024, every rural household will have access to piped potable water. The Jal Jeevan Mission has provided clean water to 20 million families in the last year. The private sector is also contributing to their effort. Smart water purifiers and auto-maintenance systems are examples of new water purification technologies that are paving the way to a better future. 


With the network and on-ground work that the social sector has been doing, it is imperative to understand that it requires consistent and collective action. The civil society has the ability to reach out to disadvantaged and socially marginalized communities to spark a movement. Women's, Youth's, and Indigenous People's CSOs do this within their own social community or business, discussing a wide variety of sustainability concerns from their Major Group's perspective. Collaboration and partnership are also valuable media of growing awareness and initiating collective action.


Water, being the most valuable resource, has to be looked after and sustainably reserved for the years to come. In a scenario such as today where countries across the globe are severely water stressed, awareness, action and attempts in the right direction towards valuing water are crucial.


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