World Water Day 2025Water sustains life, drives economies, and shapes ecosystems, yet it remains one of the world's most threatened resources.
With growing demand, pollution, and climate change accelerating the crisis, safeguarding this resource is not just urgent- it is essential for our survival.
World Water Day is observed every year on March 22 to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and the need for its sustainable management.
This global event emphasises the role of water in human survival, environmental conservation, and economic development.
It also serves as a platform to advocate for access to clean water and sanitation for all, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on clean water and sanitation.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated March 22 as World Water Day in 1993, following the recommendation of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
Since then, the day has been marked annually with different themes, highlighting various aspects of the global water crisis.
THEME FOR 2025
Each year, World Water Day has a unique theme that focuses on a specific issue related to water conservation and management.
The theme for 2025 is "Glacier Preservation".
Today, about 70 per cent of the earth's freshwater exists as snow or ice and nearly 2 billion people rely on water from these sources.
According to the UN, glaciers are melting faster than ever.
As the planet gets hotter, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable.
Glaciers are critical to life – their meltwater is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems.
Rapidly melting glaciers are causing uncertainty to water flows, with profound impacts on people and the planet.
Global reductions in carbon emissions and local strategies to adapt to shrinking glaciers are essential.
On this day, we must work together to put glacier preservation at the core of our plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis, said the UN.
SIGNIFICANCE OF WORLD WATER DAY
This day serves as a crucial platform for raising awareness about the importance of freshwater and promoting sustainable water management practices.
It encourages governments and organisations to implement policies that ensure clean water access and conservation.
The day also fosters community engagement by mobilising individuals, businesses, and local initiatives to take action in protecting water resources.
It further highlights the growing crisis of water scarcity, particularly in regions facing extreme droughts and insufficient access to safe drinking water.
UN WATER REPORT 2025
Every year, UN-Water releases the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR), which provides insights into the global water situation.
The 2025 report is expected to analyse the current state of global water resources and access to clean drinking water.
It will also explore the impact of climate change on water availability, extreme weather events, and progress toward achieving SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation for All) by 2030.
Additionally, the report will highlight innovative strategies and solutions for improving water conservation and management worldwide.
