Conserving freshwater to sustain life

Freshwater conservation and restoration are thus essential at all scales if we are to sustain life forms – people, animals, plants, fungi etc. How can we ensure that water-related and water-dependent ecosystems survive and flourish?

Achieving water security continues to be a major challenge. Dwindling freshwater resources of adequate quality and accessibility is contributing to tension and instability at local levels. Climate change is magnifying these impacts and, consequently, changing the migration patterns of people around the world. Climate change impacts on freshwater resources are further affecting adaptation and sustainable urbanisation efforts.

Ensuring adequate quality, availability and accessibility of the resource is thus vital for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being and socio-economic development, and contributing to peace, security, and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems. Rights and equitable governance underpin this. How can existing laws, policies, and institutions be strengthened and adapted to ensure the more effective and sustainable management of water resources at the local, national and transboundary levels? How can we effectively strengthen governance and stewardship to maintain healthy watersheds, and address pollution and contamination? What could incentivise the private sector to lead in developing sustainable water systems? How can we manage the water needs of ever-growing cities as well as those of rural communities?

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