UNESCO

Empowered lives.
Resilient nations.
United Nations
Cultural Organization
A worldwide shortfall in water supply of 40 per cent by 2030
World Water Day (20 March) was celebrated under the theme of ‘Water and Sustainable
Development’. It saw the launch of the 2015 edition of the UN World Water Development Report
(WWDR) Water for a Sustainable World, in New Delhi (India). The report demonstrates how water
resources and services are essential to achieving global sustainability. Taking into account economic
growth, social equity and environmental sustainability, it describes how challenges and change
factors will affect – and can be affected by – water resources, services and related benefits. The report
provides a comprehensive overview of major trends, with examples of how some challenges have
been addressed, their implications for policy-makers, and further actions that can be taken. It makes
the alarming projection that there will be a worldwide shortfall in water supply of 40 per cent by
2030. The report’s launch was an opportunity to organize a high-level policy round table in Nairobi
to discuss its findings and recommendations for the African region. The report was also launched in
several other countries, with the collaboration of the UNESCO Offices in Almaty, Bangkok, Beijing,
Bonn, Cairo, Jakarta, Kingston, Montevideo, New York, Paris, San José and Tashkent.
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2015
WATER FOR A
SUSTAINABLE
WORLD
Report
© UNESCO/L. Gagnier
discussion. A special session was dedicated
to young people, to introduce them to
the key themes concerning water and
the solutions to the challenges we face.
A commemorative event was
organized during the 38th session of
the General Conference in November,
where a panel of regional representatives
shared their views with the audience
about the impact of UNESCO’s water
programmes in their regions over the
past 50 years, as well as their vision for
their future collaboration with IHP. The
celebratory book entitled Water, People
and Cooperation: 50 Years of Water
Programmes for Sustainable Development
at UNESCO was published in English,
French and Spanish. It summarises IHP’s
past achievements and current activities,
and presents options for the future.
The Republic of Korea hosted the
seventh World Water Forum, ‘Water for
our Future’, at Daegu and Gyeongbuk
in April. The Forum is a unique multistakeholder
platform where the
international water community can work
together to address the global water
challenges of the 21st century, especially
water security, water quality and
preventing water disasters.
UNDESA, UNECE,
UNECLAC, UNESCAP,
UNESCWA
WWDR 2015 CHAPTER TITLE 001
Programme specialist
Anil Mishra, from
the Division of Water
Sciences, introduces
the International
Hydrological Programme’s
‘50 Years, 50 Movies on
Water’ event featuring
water-related disasters
and hydrological changes,
and moderated by his
colleague Alexander Otte,
during the 38th session
of the General Conference
on 12 November 2015 at
UNESCO Headquarters.
105