CAPE TOWN, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Water Day Summit and Expo kicked off in the South African coastal city of Durban on Wednesday, highlighting a bleak global picture regarding water and sanitation.
At the summit which coincided with the World Water Day, the 2017 World Water Development Report was officially launched.
The report presents the distressing situation the international community currently finds itself in with regard to water and sanitation.
The summit called for immediate action to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, in particular, SDG-6 on Water and Sanitation.
The United Nations World Water Assessment Program's High Level Panel on Water also took the opportunity to launch the "Access to Water and Sanitation Services for 10 Billion People Initiative."
The panel organized the summit to draw attention to the current dismal global status of water and sanitation and to inspire commitment to an urgent "Call for Action" by world leaders to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
The panel called upon all leaders to contribute more and to build on what they are already doing in their respective countries, such as by advocating and championing activities and actions in support of the implementation of SDG-6.
This includes the launching of so-called "light house initiatives" as best practice and models and the hosting of international and regional conferences to share information.
The bleak global picture presented in the 2017 World Water Development Report requires world leaders to urgently prioritize the improvement of access to essential water and sanitation services, South African President Jacob Zuma said at the summit.
It was disclosed at the summit that 147 countries have met the SDG drinking water target, while 95 countries have met the sanitation target and only 77 countries have met both.
These statistics do not do justice in conveying the development and health challenges faced by so many people, or in contextualizing how unevenly these basic services are distributed around the world and within societies, Zuma noted.
For example, it was reported that in 2011, nearly 60 percent of the world's one billion extremely poor people lived in just five countries. It seems that little has changed since 2011.
"Looking ahead, this unacceptable situation will only get worse, unless we join forces around the world to create equal chances for success at all levels in our race against time to secure the most precious resource of freshwater, for current and future generations," Zuma said.
The United Nations Commission on Population and Development estimates that the global population, which currently stands at about 7.3 billion people, may grow to 9.7 billion by the year 2050, with as many as 3.1 billion additional residents of urban areas.
The largest increase in population is expected to happen here in Africa, followed by Asia.
These are already among the region's most adversely affected by water and sanitation problems.
Zuma said the world has the potential to create a new and more positive economic and social developmental pathway through, among others, water infrastructure investments, valuing water, catalyzing change, building partnerships and international cooperation, as well as creating better human settlements and data.
"We have the United Nations 2030 Agenda to point the way. Here in Africa we have an even longer term and complementary sustainable development strategy in the form of the African Union's 2063 Agenda," Zuma said.
The three-day summit, under the theme "Water and Sanitation is a Human Right", will later adopt the Political Declaration on Water and Sanitation.
Every year, the world observes World Water Day on March 22, a day officially designated by the UN in 1993 to highlight issues relating to water.
体坛英语资讯:Kenyans shine at IAAF worlds in London
国内英语资讯:Central delegation wraps up Inner Mongolia trip
5个心理学方法,帮你戒掉吃肉
比伯追女孩遭拒!巨星的魅力并非不可阻挡
关于凯特王妃的第三胎,英国人先掐起架来了
Verge, fringe, brink and border 四个表示“边缘”的名词
国内英语资讯:China calls on U.S., DPRK to refrain from escalating tensions on Korean Peninsula
体坛英语资讯:Rwanda ready to face arch-rivals Uganda in 2018 CHAN qualifier
国内英语资讯:China protests U.S. warship approaching reef of Nansha Islands
体坛英语资讯:World champions make successful defense in 200m, hammer, Reese nails 4th world long jump tit
国内英语资讯:Expert denies links between Sichuan quake and Three Gorges Dam
研究:长途驾驶会导致大脑退化
体坛英语资讯:American Reese lands fourth long jump world title (updated)
有个颜值高的老公 老婆更容易饮食失调!
惊险!英女子被慢跑者撞倒险些丧命 司机紧急转向避免悲剧
一般人做不出的张一山秋水誓?医生:这是病!
《金刚:骷髅岛》电影精讲(视频)
国内英语资讯:Xi urges restraint on Korean nuclear issue in phone talk with Trump
中国被多国视为全球头号经济大国
国内英语资讯:China Eastern denies insulting Indian at Shanghai airport
抢鲜知:迪士尼还将把哪些经典动画翻拍成真人电影
体坛英语资讯:Vietnam eyes 4 Karate golds at SEA Games
国内英语资讯:Hong Kong enhances checks on eggs from Europe
哈佛大学校长福斯特在哈佛大学2017年毕业典礼上的演讲
英国女王面前绝对不能做的8件事!
一般人做不出的张一山秋水誓?医生:这是病!
一周热词榜(8.5-11)
体坛英语资讯:China beat Qatar to score first win in FIBA Asia Cup
研究:已婚人士不再比单身人士健康
英语美文:不幸,让人更懂得爱
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |