UN Water Conference: The UN Water Conference is a global event organized by the United Nations to bring together stakeholders from different sectors to discuss water-related issues, share knowledge, and commit to actions that promote water security. UN 2023 Water Conference is also important for UPSC Prelims 2023 and UPSC Mains Exam (GS Paper 2- Various International Organizations and International Events involving and affecting India; GS Paper 3- Climate Change and associated issues.)
Recently, the UN water conference 2023 was held after 46 years. The last UN Water Conference was organized in 1977. In its ‘Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028’ Report, UN recognised the urgent need for action given that we are not on track to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for water- “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”.
Fragmentation is common in the water sector as the problems associated with water are typically local. Local solutions are required to tackle issues such as water pollution in a specific lake or frequent flooding in a particular area. Consequently, there is a fundamental challenge in mobilizing the world to address local problems.
The UN 2023 Water Conference, co-hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands, marks a significant moment in addressing global water issues as it is the first such conference in a generation.
The UN 2023 Water Conference and its preparatory process was organised based on the following three principles:
Providing services to populations that are currently underserved is generally not a contentious issue, and the main challenge is securing the necessary funding for it. In India, initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission and the Jal Jeevan Mission are already in place to address this challenge. However, improving access to water and sanitation does not necessarily guarantee sustained access to these resources.
During the conference, India made two significant commitments: investing $240 billion in the water sector and taking measures to restore the groundwater level.
The main result of the conference was the creation of the International Water Action Agenda, to which businesses, governments, multilateral institutions, and non-governmental organizations made more than 670 commitments aimed at resolving water security issues.
In terms of technology, in addition to advancements in wastewater treatment, there were numerous proposals for incubation platforms aimed at water management. There are already numerous knowledge-sharing solutions available, and we must focus on expediting cross-learning.
UN World Water Development Report 2022
The UN Water Conference is a global event organized by the United Nations to bring together stakeholders from different sectors to discuss water-related issues, share knowledge, and commit to actions that promote water security.
The UN Water Conference was held for the first time in 46 years in 2023, after the last conference was held in 1977.
The conference is attended by governments, UN agencies, civil society organizations, private sector actors, academics, and other stakeholders with an interest in water issues.
The primary purpose of the conference is to mobilize stakeholders to take action to address water-related challenges and to promote sustainable and equitable water management practices.
Some of the key issues discussed at the conference include water scarcity, water pollution, climate change, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration in addressing water-related challenges.
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