Guterres holds UN countries accountable

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All hope for humanity would depend on charting a new course: “It depends on realizing the historic inclusive and action-oriented commitments made by member states and others at this conference”. He alluded to numerous individual, non-mandatory measures and projects that states, non-governmental organizations and the free economy, among others, had pledged at the conference over the past two days.

“It means reducing the pressure on our water system,” Guterres said. Alternative food systems should also be developed to reduce the unsustainable use of water in food production and agriculture. Water, ecosystems and climate strategies must intertwine to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – from resilient infrastructure, water supply and wastewater treatment plans to an early warning system for natural disasters.

The UN water conference has been going on since Wednesday. It was the first major UN meeting since 1977 to focus solely on water. The United Nations had sounded the alarm about a global water crisis: the water cycle had been broken, ecosystems had been destroyed and groundwater had been polluted. Two billion people, one in four, do not have adequate access to clean water. And the global shortage of drinking water will continue to increase. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) spoke on behalf of Germany before the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.

The World Resources Institute, which analyzed the conference, concluded that the New York meeting was a necessary water wake-up call. A number of the voluntary commitments can mark a turning point and influence the development towards drinking water.

(SDA)

Source: Blick