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In 2021, World Water Day is celebrated under the motto “Valuing Water”


Created: 24-03-2021 13:11

March 22 - The first proposal to hold World Water Day was made in June 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. According to the decision of the UN General Assembly dated February 22, 1993, the celebration began.

In 2021, World Water Day is marked under the motto “Valuing Water”. The purpose of this day is to provide everyone with clean water and to encourage everyone to be active in the protection of aquatic ecosystems. To this end, various programs in the field of efficient use of water resources are being implemented in various parts of the world at the international, national and local levels.

A new UN report with the theme "Valuing Water" on the state of the planet's water resources, says that 2 billion people currently do not have direct access to clean drinking water. According to experts, from 2000 to 2050, global demand for water will increase by 55 percent.

The UN believes that this approach will help protect water resources and provide clean water to all people on the planet.

"Water is our most valuable resource, "blue gold ", 2 billion people do not have direct access to it. We  must  all  recognize  the multifold value of water and take action to conserve this basic resource, the resource which gives our planet its unique colour.," said Audrey Azouley, Director-General of UNESCO.

The Secretary- General of UN massaged: “The value of water is profound and complex.  There is no aspect of sustainable development that does not fundamentally rely upon it. For me, water means protection.”

It was also added a well-managed water cycle – encompassing drinking water, sanitation, hygiene, wastewater, trans-boundary governance, the environment and more – means a defence against ill-health and indignity and a response to challenges from a changing climate and increasing global demand.

The authors of the report note that the Europe and Central Asia region has a large number of trans-boundary water resources, including rivers located in the territory of two or more states. The use and maintenance of such resources requires close cooperation between countries, including the adoption of bilateral agreements in this area.

The report says that the Kura River basin in the most important water source for Azerbaijan and Georgia. These countries have developed a methodology for accessing cross-border cooperation, calculating flood risks, potential losses and costs, as well as revenues from joint management of water resources.