Global urban population facing water scarcity:UNESCO report

According to a report published by UNESCO at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York, 26 per cent of the world's population does not have safe drinking water and 46 per cent lack access to safely managed sanitation, As per the report, between two and three billion people experience water shortages for at least one month per year, posing severe risks to livelihoods, notably through food security and access to electricity. The global urban population facing water scarcity is projected to double from 930 million in 2016 to 1.7 to 2.4 billion people in 2050. The growing incidence of extreme and prolonged droughts is also stressing ecosystems, with dire consequences for both plant and animal species, the report said. In a tweet,  Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General said that there is an urgent need to establish strong international mechanisms to prevent the global water crisis from spiralling out of control. She further said Water is our common future and it is essential to act together to share it equitably and manage it sustainably.

The world is facing a water crisis.

All hands are needed for a #WaterAction that will save humanity and the planet.

On #WorldWaterDay2023 read the speech of @UNESCO's Director General, Audrey Azoulay.https://t.co/KidpxqqRQC pic.twitter.com/cgDn5Kqdrk

— unescoWATER (@unescoWATER) March 21, 2023

The report further said that the United Nations calls for boosting international cooperation over how water is used and managed. It said this is the only way to prevent a global water crisis in the coming decades.