Global water crisis fuelling more conflicts, UN report warns
Global water crisis fuelling more conflicts, UN report warns Al Jazeera English
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Increasing Water Scarcity Fuels Conflicts and Instability, UN Report Warns
Water resources under stress as economies and populations grow with 2.2 billion people lacking clean drinking water.
The United Nations (UN) warns in a new report that increasing global water scarcity is fueling more conflicts and contributing to instability. The report emphasizes that access to clean water is critical to promoting peace.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
The UN World Water Development Report 2024, released on Friday, highlights that 2.2 billion people worldwide have no access to clean drinking water, and 3.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation.
Girls and Women Most Affected
- Girls and women are the first victims of a lack of water, particularly in rural areas where they are responsible for collecting supplies.
- Spending several hours a day fetching water, coupled with a lack of safe sanitation, contributes to girls dropping out of school.
UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay stated, “Water shortages not only fan the flames of geopolitical tensions but also pose a threat to fundamental rights as a whole, for example, by considerably undermining the position of girls and women.”
The report does not examine specific current conflicts, but it mentions Israel’s severe restriction of access to fresh, clean water during its war on Gaza.
Impact on Displaced People and Migration
- The lack of water security drives migration, and displaced people strain resources in the locations where they settle.
- A study in Somalia indicated a 200 percent increase in gender-based violence against a group of displaced people.
- At least 10 percent of global migration is linked to water stress as the world faces a more erratic climate.
The report also highlights that global warming is projected to further increase the frequency and severity of droughts and floods, with more wet and very dry weather and climate events.
Water Scarcity in Poorer Countries
- Roughly half of the world’s population is experiencing severe water scarcity, with some areas lacking water almost year-round.
- Poorer countries find it harder to adapt to the consequences of water scarcity.
- The report estimates that it would cost $114 billion annually to provide safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in 140 low- to middle-income countries.
Quentin Graft from Water Justice Hub, a UNESCO affiliate, emphasizes that water scarcity is not just a problem for specific regions but affects everyone. He states, “It’s a water problem for all of us because we grow our food with freshwater whether it’s irrigated or rain-fed, and when you have climate change on top of an already existing water crisis, then we have an inability to feed ourselves.”
International Cooperation on Water Resources
- Only 24 out of 153 countries that share water resources have signed cooperation agreements covering all of their shared water.
- More than 60 percent of all freshwater resources are shared by two or more countries.
- The UN Water Convention, established in 1992 to foster responsible joint management of water resources in Europe, currently has 52 state parties.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
The article addresses the issues of water scarcity, lack of access to clean drinking water, gender inequality in water access, climate change impacts on water resources, and the need for international cooperation for water management. These issues are connected to the Sustainable Development Goals mentioned above.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
- SDG 6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
- SDG 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
- SDG 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- SDG 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
- SDG 17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South, and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology, and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms.
These targets are relevant to the issues discussed in the article, such as achieving universal access to clean drinking water, promoting gender equality in water access, addressing climate-related water challenges, ensuring peace and stability, and fostering international cooperation for water management.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services.
- Indicator 6.2.1: Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, including a handwashing facility with soap and water.
- Indicator 5.1.1: Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce, and monitor equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex.
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
- Indicator 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age.
- Indicator 17.6.2: Number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements and projects between countries in developing regions.
These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. They provide specific metrics to assess the availability and quality of drinking water and sanitation services, the existence of legal frameworks promoting gender equality, the impact of disasters on populations, the prevalence of violence, and the level of international cooperation in science and technology.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. | Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services. |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. | Indicator 6.2.1: Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services, including a handwashing facility with soap and water. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Indicator 5.1.1: Whether or not legal frameworks are in place to promote, enforce, and monitor equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex. | |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. | Indicator 16.1.1: Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age. |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | 17.6: Enhance North-South, South-South, and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology, and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms. | Indicator 17.6.2: Number of science and/or technology cooperation agreements and projects between countries in developing regions. |
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Source: aljazeera.com
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