MADRID, 22 (SERVIMEDIA)
Almost 2 billion people worldwide – one in four – do not have safe drinking water and around 3.6 billion – almost half the world’s population – do not have access to safe sanitation.
The United Nations is making these data available on the occasion of World Water Day, celebrated this Wednesday, when a UN conference on water begins in New York (USA) that will last until next Friday.
In a message collected by Servimedia to mark this commemoration, the UN points out that 1.4 million people will die each year and 74 million will lose their lives from diseases related to poor water, sanitation and hygiene.
In addition, 44% of domestic wastewater is not safely treated, and global water demand – at water withdrawal – is projected to increase by 55% by 2050.
At the same time, the demand for this resource continues to rise, as around 4,000 million people suffer from severe water shortages for at least one month a year.
“Drop by drop, this precious, vital resource is being poisoned by pollution and sucked into insatiable depletion, and demand for water is expected to exceed supply by 40% by the end of the decade,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“DANGEROUSLY FAR”
Guterres emphasizes that climate change is having devastating effects on the natural water cycle. “Greenhouse gas pollution continues to rise to unprecedented levels, dangerously heating the global climate. This warming is exacerbating water-related disasters, disease outbreaks, water shortages and droughts, while causing damage to infrastructure, food production and supply chains,” he explains.
He also emphasizes: “Out of every 100 people on earth, 25 get all their water from streams and open ponds, or pay high prices to buy water of questionable health. Another 22 relieve themselves outdoors or use dirty, dangerous, or dilapidated latrines. And 44 see their sewage flowing back into nature untreated, with disastrous consequences for health and the environment.”
“In short, the world is dramatically and dangerously far from our goal of safely managing water and sanitation for all by 2030,” he says.