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On behalf of the United Nations Water Task Force, by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Water, the essence of life, is the basis for the sustainable development of societies around the world. It functions as a keystone in the energy, health and food sectors, and at the same time plays an important role in the conservation of biodiversity. But an alarming reality looms. Approximately half of the world’s population faces severe water scarcity for at least part of the year.
This year’s World Water Day on 22 March focuses on the theme ‘Water for Peace’, forcing us to think about the complex relationship between water, conflict and cooperation. . Water has the power to create peace or cause conflict. Over time, there has been much more cooperation than conflict over water. However, with climate change and rapid population growth, pressures on resources are becoming increasingly precarious.
Climate change will intensify the water cycle, causing more extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. Water-stressed areas are hotbeds for many forms of conflict, from social unrest to ethnic clashes and border disputes. As the effects of climate change increase, there is an urgent need to unite around water within and among nations.
More than 60% of the world’s freshwater flows cross political boundaries, so cross-border water cooperation is essential for regional stability and conflict prevention. States should develop agreements and establish joint institutions to peacefully manage shared water resources. However, only 24 countries have cooperation agreements for all shared water. Global legal and intergovernmental frameworks, such as the two UN Water Conventions, have greatly facilitated and supported cooperation at the basin level.
One notable example is the Sava river basin. The signing of the Sava Agreement, the first intergovernmental agreement after the Yugoslav war, and the creation of the Sava Committee not only served as a uniting factor for the four riparian countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, but also strengthened trust and interaction. started. Regional cooperation.
In West Africa, heads of state in the 1970s decided to jointly address severe drought by establishing a joint dam and the Senegal Basin Development Authority.
Effective cross-border water cooperation serves as a powerful tool for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, addressing the root causes of conflict and improving relationships among water users, local communities, and countries that share water resources. Build trust.
World Water Day 2024 invites us to explore the important relationship between water and peace. Numerous tools and good practices from around the world are available to support the protection and conservation of our most precious resources. By taking a collaborative approach and ensuring equitable access, we can harness water as a stabilizing force and catalyst for sustainable development, fostering peace for future generations.
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