Historic UN convention marks a second to sort out the worldwide water disaster and guarantee a water-secure future
New York, USA, 24 March The UN 2023 Water Convention in New York culminated right this moment in a ground-breaking response to the worldwide water disaster, with governments, companies and civil society committing billions of {dollars} to advance the water agenda, a dealmaker to speed up sustainable improvement normally.
Round 10,000 individuals gathered at UN headquarters and on-line from 22 to 24 March 2023 to quickly scale up efforts to resolve the water disaster and guarantee equal entry to water for all. The convention, hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Tajikistan, introduced collectively world leaders, civil society, enterprise leaders, younger folks, scientists, teachers, the UN system and others from throughout the sectors of agriculture, power, atmosphere and water round a standard purpose: as quickly as attainable to sort out the water disaster and put the world again on observe to attain Sustainable Growth Aim 6 on clear water and sanitation.
The commitments at this convention will propel humanity in the direction of the water-secure future that each particular person on the planet wants, famous UN Secretary-Common Antnio Guterres on the closing ceremony.
To attain this, the Secretary-Common highlighted key game-changers: from strengthening the place of water as a basic human proper and decreasing stress on the hydrological system, to creating new, different meals programs to cut back the unsustainable use of water in meals manufacturing and agriculture and design and implementation of a brand new international water info system to information plans and priorities by 2030.
The Secretary-Common additionally advocated integrating the strategy to water, ecosystems and local weather to cut back greenhouse gasoline emissions and strengthen communities from resilient infrastructure, water pipelines and wastewater remedy plans to making sure that every one folks on the earth are protected with early warning programs towards pure disasters by 2027; and continued to push for local weather justice and international motion to restrict international warming to 1.5 levels. Lastly, he known as for a dramatic acceleration of sources and funding within the capability of all international locations to attain SDG 6.
UN 2023 Water Convention A watershed second for the SDGs
Entry to wash water, sanitation and hygiene is probably the most primary human want for well being and well-being and a declared human proper. However round 2 billion folks world wide nonetheless lack entry to wash ingesting water, and 40 p.c of the world’s inhabitants is affected by water shortage. Agricultural demand alone accounts for round 70% of water consumption. Along with the stress, greater than 90 p.c of the disasters are water-related, with local weather change hitting the toughest by way of water. And humanity’s demand for water continues to develop, with stress on contemporary water anticipated to extend by greater than 40 p.c by 2050.
In opposition to this backdrop, discussions ranged from the urgency of the water disaster, together with its function in compelled migration, local weather change and battle, to emphasizing its important hyperlink to good well being, poverty discount and meals safety. Consideration was additionally given to options with issues spanning the necessity for higher knowledge assortment, improved administration programs, alternatives for capability improvement and funding gaps within the water sector. With financing wants starting from US$182 to greater than US$600 billion yearly, the significance of unlocking financing and modern financing preparations that require new improvements and large-scale investments within the water economic system was additionally emphasised.
Transformative Water Motion Agenda
In response to this, the Water Motion Agenda, the principle consequence of the convention, captured over 700 commitments aimed toward driving the transformation from a worldwide water disaster to a water-secure world. The Agenda represents the worldwide group’s daring determination to deal with water challenges by way of a extra coordinated and results-driven strategy (see choose listing of commitments under). Plenty of different follow-up steps are additionally into consideration, together with the appointment of a particular envoy on water.
The convention’s outcomes may also obtain concrete follow-up at three upcoming vital summits: the SDG summit throughout the UN Common Meeting in September 2023, the Future Summit in 2024, the World Social Summit in 2025 and thru the annual high-level political discussion board on sustainable improvement, the Convention of the Events and different UN processes in addition to the Dushanbe water course of.
On the 2023 UN Water Convention, a decided international group got here collectively to make a distinction not only for the way forward for water, however for the way forward for the world, stated Li Junhua, UN Underneath-Secretary-Common for Financial and Social Affairs and Secretary-Common of the Convention.
I hope that the power we skilled at this convention will movement on to the SDG Summit in September, when the world comes collectively to advance the transformative actions that we have to notice all of the SDGs and guarantee a sustainable future for everybody, in all places, on a wholesome planet.
Snapshot of commitments
Member international locations
Multilateral banks
Non-public sector
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- DANONE launches a mixing fund for water acceleration to offer day by day entry to wash water to 30 million folks in want.
- Xylem and 16 different corporations are committing $11 billion to analysis and improvement.
- The World Benchmarking Alliance has dedicated to assessing 1,000 international corporations throughout 22 industries on their influence on reaching water-related targets each two years to assist shut the company accountability hole.
NGOs
- World Imaginative and prescient has dedicated to elevating and investing $2 billion by 2030 to broaden the influence of transformative water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) companies throughout 50 international locations in six areas.
Observe: All commitments to the Water Motion Agenda are revealed right here.
Key hyperlinks
- UN 2023 Water Convention web site
- Skilled listing for media is offered right here
Social Media
Please observe any highlights and updates for the UN 2023 Water Convention utilizing the first hashtag #WaterAction.
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Media contacts (interviews obtainable upon request)
United Nations Division of International Communications | Francyne Harrigan |harriganf@un.org
United Nations Division of International Communications | Sharon Birch |birchs@un.org
