World Water Day

 Over the period 2009–2019,  Floods  nearly 55,000 deaths (including 5,110 in 2019 alone), affected another 103 million people (including 31,000 in 2019 alone) and caused US$76.8 billion in economic losses (including US$36.8 billion in 2019 alone). Over the same period, Droughts affected over 100 million people, killing over 2,000 people more, and directly causing over US$10 billion in economic losses. Globally, Floods and extreme rainfall events have increased by more than 50% over the past decade, occurring at a rate four times greater than in 1980. Climatic variations is expected to further increase the  frequency and severity of floods and droughts .

For billions of people, mountain meltwater is essential for drinking water and sanitation, food and energy security, and the integrity of the environment. But today, as the world warms, glaciers are melting faster than ever , making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme. And because of glacial retreat , floods, droughts, landslides and sea-level rise are intensifying, with devastating consequences for people and nature. The UN World Water Development Report: Mountains and glaciers - Water towers  offers solutions to help us simultaneously mitigate and adapt to rapid changes in our frozen water resources . This report provides a clear overview of the current state of play and recommends what needs to change. The urgent need to drastically reduce carbon emissions is emphatically repeated. By detailing the connections between mountain fresh water , essential services and the natural world, this publication highlights the critical importance of conserving the cryosphere to...

The meeting aims to discuss how to mainstream water into global climate processes, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) as well as to plan and provide guidance to the implementation of the activities on water and climate under the programme of work for 2025-2027 of the Water Convention (forthcoming). The meeting is open to experts representing governmental authorities, the private sector, non-governmental and international organizations as well as other interested stakeholders. The Task Force on Water and Climate is responsible for activities related to adaptation to climate change in transboundary basins, including flood and drought management, in accordance with the programme of work for 2025-2027 of the Water Convention (forthcoming) Agenda: Item 4. Mainstreaming transboundary and regional water cooperation into Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans (continued) Item 5. Recent activities on climate chan...

The meeting aims to discuss how to mainstream water into global climate processes, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) as well as to plan and provide guidance to the implementation of the activities on water and climate under the programme of work for 2025-2027 of the Water Convention (forthcoming). The meeting is open to experts representing governmental authorities, the private sector, non-governmental and international organizations as well as other interested stakeholders. The Task Force on Water and Climate is responsible for activities related to adaptation to climate change in transboundary basins, including flood and drought management, in accordance with the programme of work for 2025-2027 of the Water Convention (forthcoming) Agenda: Item 1. Opening and election of the chair Item 2. Adoption of the agenda Item 3. Mainstreaming transboundary and regional water cooperation in global climate change processes Item 4. Mainstr...

The edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 , entitled''  Mountains and glaciers: Water towers ,'' will be released on March 21st during the celebration of the World Water Day . Register to participate!

As part of the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025 , a joint celebration of the World Day for Glaciers and World Water Day will be organized under the aligned theme " Glaciers' preservation " to highlight the urgent, interconnected challenges of water security and climate change. Glaciers and ice sheets, which store approximately 70% of the world’s freshwater, are melting at unprecedented rates due to rising global temperatures . This rapid and ongoing loss of ice threatens the water supply for billions of people. This event will convene world leaders, policymakers, scientists, and civil society organizations to address the critical need for concerted global efforts in glacier preservation and water security . High-level sessions will feature key stakeholders, including heads of state, ministers of environment and water resources, and UN agency leaders, who will outline strategic initiatives for glacier protection and sustainable water management. In co...

  To celebrate World Water Day 2025 , the UNESCO will host an event on Science Diplomacy in Water Issues , focusing on the discussion of sustainable water policies . Water is a fundamental building block of life, essential for fostering economic, social and human development. Inland water systems play a critical role in providing clean water for drinking, agriculture, and industry, while the ocean and seas are essential for global climate stability and biodiversity. The fair distribution of water resources , particularly in the Global South , remains a pressing challenge, highlighting the need for international cooperation and scientific engagement in sustainable water management. To celebrate World Water Day and the launch of the United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR 2025), the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, in collaboration with the University for Continuing Education Krems (UWK), the Central European Initiative (CEI), and the In...

  Climate-related hazards, shocks and stresses present a growing threat to WASH services. Governments and development partners are responding to the risks of climate change by addressing climate resilience, adaptation and mitigation. This section focuses on how countries and development partners are defining climate-resilient WASH, how climate is included in WASH policies/plans (including reaching populations disproportionally affected by climate change), climate risk assessments, monitoring climate-resilient WASH , climate finance and development partner support to WASH and climate In the GLAAS 2024/2025 cycle, countries and development partners were asked how they define climate-resilient WASH. Thirty-nine per cent of countries (37 of 96) reported having a national definition of climate-resilient WASH and below are some of the definitions. • Belize : Climate-resilient WASH refers to WASH services and behaviours that continue to deliver benefits, or are appropriately restored, wit...

  When United Nations Member States adopted the universal, integrated and transformative 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs in September 2015, they expressed their determination “to mobilize the means required to implement” it. Given the central importance of sufficient “means of implementation” to achieve the SDGs, Member States adopted 43 MoI targets under Goals 1–16, denoted by letters, and a dedicated Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. The MoI underpin the achievement of the sustainable development outcomes envisaged by the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs. The UN describes MoI as “the interdependent mix of financial resources, technology development and transfer, capacity-building, inclusive and equitable globalization and trade, regional integration, as well as the creation of a national enabling environment required to implement the new sustainable development agenda, particularly in developing countrie...