The 2025 UN World Water Development Report (UN WWDR) titled “Mountains and Glaciers – Water Towers,” emphasizes the growing risks posed by climate change to global water resources.
Key Highlights of the Report
- Essential for billions: Mountain meltwater is crucial for drinking water, sanitation, food security, energy production, and environmental sustainability.
- The report highlights that retreating glaciers threaten the food and water supply of 2 billion people worldwide. Accelerating glacier melt: Rising global temperatures are causing glaciers to melt faster, making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme.
World Water Day 2025
- World Water Day, observed annually on March 22, raises awareness about the importance of sustainable water management and conservation.
- Established by the United Nations in 1993, it highlights global water challenges and encourages action to ensure access to clean and safe water for all.
Objective: The primary goal of World Water Day is to:
- Promote awareness about global water scarcity and pollution.
- Encourage sustainable water management practices.
- Advocate for policy changes and government action to protect water resources.
- Support efforts for universal access to clean water.
Theme for 2025: Glacier Preservation
- The 2025 theme, “Glacier Preservation,” emphasizes the crucial role of glaciers in maintaining the global freshwater supply.
- It highlights the threats posed by climate change and calls for urgent conservation measures.
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- Increased risks: Glacial retreat is intensifying floods, droughts, landslides, and sea-level rise, leading to devastating effects on people and ecosystems.
- Need for action: The report stresses the importance of mitigating and adapting to rapid changes in frozen water resources.
- Carbon emissions reduction: It strongly calls for an urgent reduction in carbon emissions to slow down glacial retreat.
- Connection to SDGs: Conserving the cryosphere (frozen water resources) is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Impact of Rising Global Temperatures
- All mountain ranges have experienced warming since the early 20th century.
- More mountain precipitation is falling as rain instead of snow, causing snowpacks to thin and melt earlier in the year.
- Short-term effects: Faster snowmelt initially increases river flow in glacier-fed basins and rivers.
- Long-term effects: After exceeding a certain “peak water” threshold, river flow declines due to reduced glacier reserves.
- The report provides strong evidence that this “peak water” point has already been passed in the tropical Andes, western Canada, and the Swiss Alps.
Impact on Agriculture and Water Supply
- Two-thirds of all irrigated agriculture worldwide is expected to be affected by retreating glaciers and declining snowfall.
- The climate crisis is reducing freshwater availability, threatening global food security and water resources.
This report underscores the urgent need for global action to protect glacier-fed water systems and mitigate climate change effects
About UN Water
- UN-Water is the United Nations’ inter-agency coordination mechanism for all freshwater and sanitation-related issues.
- It brings together UN entities, international organizations, and key partners to ensure effective water resource management and sustainable use.
- Establishment: UN-Water was established in 2003 to strengthen coordination and coherence among UN agencies working on water-related issues.
- Objective: The primary goal of UN-Water is to support and accelerate progress on water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All.
- Missions
- Advancing Policy and Advocacy: Promotes global awareness on key water-related challenges.
- Monitoring and Reporting: Tracks progress on water-related SDGs and provides data-driven insights.
- Facilitating Coordination: Ensures harmonized efforts among UN agencies and partners for sustainable water management.
- Reports Published
- UN World Water Development Report (WWDR): Annual flagship report assessing global water challenges and solutions.
- Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS): Provides insights into sanitation and drinking water progress.
- The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 Synthesis Report: Evaluates global advancements in achieving SDG 6.
24 Mar 2025
