13 February, NEW YORK – The United Nations General Assembly President urged Governments today to send their top representatives to the upcoming UN 2023 Water Conference, stressing the urgency of tackling the water crisis while calling for the establishment of a global water information system.
“Of the 17 [Sustainable Development] Goals, perhaps none are more urgent than SDG 6 on water,” said Csaba Kőrösi in his remarks to the annual hearing of the Interparliamentary Union, which was held under the theme “Water for People and Planet: Stop the waste, change the game, invest in the future.”
He said that the water crisis will inevitably get worse, pointing out that nearly all climate change is felt through water and describing the scourge as “too much water,” “not enough water”, or “water that is too dirty to use, and too unsafe to drink”.
“If we do not get the global water crisis under control, we will not be able to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals,” he emphasized, warning that the planetary boundaries for water have already been breached for the first time in human history.
By the end of this decade, the demand for water is expected to exceed supply by 40 per cent, he added, urging all Governments to come to the Conference at the highest possible level and bring concrete proposals for action and transformation.
He also highlighted the need for integrated data, calling for a global water information system that would change the game.
He expressed hope that the Water Conference, taking place at the UN Headquarters in New York from 22 to 24 March, will create “the Paris moment” of the water action.
“If we join hands, we can achieve that,” he declared.
The event, being held at the UN Headquarters in New York until 14 February, brings together some 250 parliamentarians, speakers, advisers and related officials from more than 60 countries.
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