26 % of world’s population does not have safe drinking water: UNESCO report

26 per cent of the world’s population does not have safe drinking water and 46 per cent lack access to safely managed sanitation, according to a report published by UNESCO at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York. As per the report, between two and three billion people experience water shortages for at least one month per year, posing severe risks to livelihoods, notably through food security and access to electricity.

The global urban population facing water scarcity is projected to double from 930 million in 2016 to 1.7 to 2.4 billion people in 2050. The growing incidence of extreme and prolonged droughts is also stressing ecosystems, with dire consequences for both plant and animal species, the report said.

In a tweet, Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General said that there is an urgent need to establish strong international mechanisms to prevent the global water crisis from spiralling out of control. He further said Water is our common future and it is essential to act together to share it equitably and manage it sustainably.

The report further said that the United Nations calls for boosting international cooperation over how water is used and managed. It said this is the only way to prevent a global water crisis in the coming decades.