Not everyone is aware that some countries face extreme difficulties when it comes to sourcing a reliable and safe water source. Damaged ecosystems affect the quantity and quality of water available for human consumption and today, 2.1 billion people are without safe drinking water in their homes; affecting not only their health but also their education and livelihoods.
The theme for World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’ and is based around exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century. This theme reflects the threat environmental damage and climate change is having on our water crisis. Underlining the importance of sustainable development is a crucial factor in ensuring that everyone in the world has access to safe water: a goal the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) has set to reach by 2030. For those who don’t know, sustainable development means improving our quality of life, without damaging the quality of life of future generations, and not just for humans, for all inhabitants of the planet.
Planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands are all examples of sustainable development, but we each have a part to play every day in conserving and ethically managing our water use. If we can rebalance the water cycle, human health and wellbeing will be dramatically improved.
Atkins Gregory fully supports World Water Day and we are committed to our environmental policies to effectively manage water use. You can spread the word by sharing on social media at #WorldWaterDay and help raise awareness to reach the target of ‘safe water for all’ by 2030.
