Groundwater: invisible treasure of life
Groundwater is invisible, but its presence - or lack of - is felt everywhere. Today on 22 March 2022, the international community celebrates World Water Day with a special focus ongroundwater, source of life and survival.
The UN World Water Development Report 2022 “” was launched duringthe opening ceremony of the (9WWF) in Dakar, Senegal on 21 March 2022.
Groundwater – found underground in aquifers, rocks and soils – makes up over 95% of all liquidfreshwater on earth, yetis being over-used in many regions of the world,abstractedfaster than it can be recharged by rain and snow.Groundwater pollution is another challenge whichcan take decades or even centuries to fix.
Making the invisiblevisible, requires research and investment. Not enough datais available ongroundwater, failing to harness thisvitalresource.Prioritizing, protecting and sustainably using groundwater will be central toadaptingto climate change whilstmeeting the needs of a growing global population.
"The challenge with groundwater also lies in the lack of awareness and communication around the need to preserve and protectgroundwater systems", said James Dalton, Head ϲʿֱֳ Water and Land Management Team. "A step change is needed to improve groundwater literacy across all water agenciesand to build the capacity of the groundwater community itself to expand knowledge, awareness, and investment in groundwater".
Groundwater crosses borders, just like climate change. Working together to improve the waytransboundary groundwater resources are shared requires carefulbalancing of different needs but alsosharing thebenefits equitably. During the 9WWF conference, ϲʿֱֳis presentingthe work on transboundary water governance through its BRIDGE (Building River Dialogue and Governance) and PREE (Partenariat Régional sur l’Eau et l’Environnement en Afrique Centrale et Occidentale) projects. See ϲʿֱֳ at WWF9.
Sustainable groundwater management can ensure climate-resilient supplies of water needed to help meet goals for food security, energy development and access to drinking water. It can supply water for sustainable cities andindustrialisation.Where groundwater management is sustainable, its potential contributions cross multiple dimensions of sustainable development (see toolkit).
World Water Day is celebrated each year on22 March. It is an annual United Nations Observance day, started in 1993,raisingawareness to the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards Sustainable Development Goal6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
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