Water is the basis of all life and therefore one of the most valuable resources on our planet that deserve protection. To raise awareness of this, World Water Day has been celebrated annually on March 22nd since 1993. It was created as a result of the UN World Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Accelerating Change – World Water Day 2023

With the motto "Accelerating Change", this year's World Water Day wants to point out the urgency of partnerships and cooperation to solve the water and wastewater crisis. In this endeavor, UNESCO is the lead UN agency.
In order to scientifically underpin the concerns of World Water Day and to provide decision-makers with a framework for implementing water policy, the United Nations World Water Report is published annually around World Water Day. It is coordinated by UNESCO's World Water Development Program (WWAP) on behalf of UN-Water and is dedicated to the annual theme of World Water Day.

"Water is our common future and we need to act together to share it equitably and manage it sustainably. As the world convenes for the first major United Nations conference on water in the last half century, we have a responsibility to plot a collective course ensuring water and sanitation for all."

World Water Report

In order to scientifically underpin the concerns of World Water Day, the United Nations World Water Report is published annually around the international day. It is coordinated by UNESCO's World Water Development Program (WWAP) on behalf of UN-Water and is dedicated to the annual theme of World Water Day.
The World Water Report 2023 also serves as a basis for the discussions at the UN Water Conference 2023, in which progress towards achieving global goals for water and sanitation will be discussed. In addition, a mid-term review of the International Decade for Action 2018-2028 "Water for Sustainable Development" will be drawn.

UNESCO IHP

UNESCO also contributes as part of its Intergovernmental Hydrological Program (IHP) contributes to the goals of World Water Day by developing scientific principles for the sustainable management of water resources.

Water situation, eg in Austria

With its mountain streams, rivers and lakes, Austria has large water resources and is therefore one of the most water-rich regions in the world. There is sufficient groundwater to cover the needs for drinking water, agriculture or industry. However, the local water resources are unevenly distributed. The effects of the climate crisis, such as heat waves in summer and winters with little snow, are already clearly noticeable in Germany. The ongoing drop in groundwater levels is already having an impact on agriculture and forests in some places. In addition, water reservoirs are lost due to soil sealing. It is therefore crucial to take measures today in order to be able to continue to cover future water requirements from groundwater in a sustainable manner.

“In order to counteract this development, rivers and wetlands need to be rehabilitated and land use reduced. In this way, water could be kept in the landscape for longer, which in turn also serves to reduce the risk of flooding, since flood plains are retained or reclaimed.”