Global Perpectives on Water Management: An Overview of Actions Steps from the United Nations to Local Communities

Abstract

Water scarcity is a worldwide reality; people across the globe now experience the impacts of an excess of water demand over available supply every day. Pressure on water is rising, and action is urgent (UN HLP, 2018, UN SDG Summit 2023, 2023). The United Nations (UN) and the United Nations Educational Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have been focused on water scarcity since 1977, when they created an Action Plan on “Community Water Supply,” declaring that everyone has the right to access drinking water to meet their basic needs (UN, 2018). Since then, the UN has declared the decade of 2018-2028 as a “Decade for Action” on “Water for Sustainable Development (UN, 2018).” The recommendations from this international body of 193 member countries call for all stakeholders to be involved in creating responses to the challenges of water scarcity—not only governments and international organizations but universities, private organizations, farmers, and all citizens. Concomitantly, the World Economic Forum is working to foment public-private partnerships around the world to close the gap between water demand and water supply. This article presents an overview of some of the “action steps” being taken by these organizations, as well as some examples from universities to local organizations with ties to agriculture and water use.