Access to water is a basic and inalienable human right, as having access to safe drinking water and sanitation systems are essential for the realization of all human rights.
Water is an essential universal good that should not be lacking for anyone. Today, water is a luxury for millions of people. According to scientists, this scarcity is being exacerbated by climate change, with increasingly frequent and severe droughts and floods.
Water on the planet
Water is present in different states and natural elements distributed throughout the planet. In its liquid state, it flows through rivers, streams, seas, and oceans. In its solid form, it is found in the poles, glaciers, permafrost, and in winter, on the surfaces of some river streams.
In its gaseous form, water is present throughout the atmosphere. 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by liquid water, mainly saltwater. Only a small percentage of water is fresh, and most of it is frozen.
The impact of climate change on this basic human right
UNICEF ensures that at least 1,000 children die every day worldwide from thirst, preventable diseases such as diarrhea, from drinking unsafe water and/or inadequate sanitation.
In developed and emerging countries, water is not valued as it should be. It is wasted in agriculture, contaminated, and wastewater is not managed or recycled properly.
Let’s not waste any more water
Water is wasted in many ways, with agriculture being the main culprit, using around 70% of available freshwater. Flood irrigation causes significant water losses and can contaminate watercourses with fertilizers.
As an alternative, drip irrigation is highly efficient but costly to implement and does not work for all crops. There are intermediate solutions, such as sprinklers, which produce less runoff, or crop cover to prevent water evaporation.
Individual and collective solutions
It makes no sense to plant water-intensive crops in arid or desert areas. On an individual level, it is possible to care for water in many ways, such as not letting it run unused, watering at night, or recycling it properly.
It is crucial to stop wasting water, as in many places, golf courses and pools proliferate, while in other parts of the world, a child dies of thirst every few minutes.
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