Water scarcity affects over 40 percent of the human population. This alarming figure is projected to rise as temperatures continue to increase globally. While 2.1 billion people have experienced improvements in areas of water and sanitation since the 1990s, issues of water insecurity, drought and desertification are affecting every continent. By the year 2050, it is projected that one in every four people will suffer from recurring water shortages.
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Ensure Access to Water and Sanitation for All.
Achieving safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030 requires global investment in infrastructure, the provision of safe sanitation facilities, developing effective waste treatment facilities and improving basic education on hygiene-practices. Furthermore, it is essential global efforts are centered on protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems.
In 2015, approximately 4.5 billion people lacked access to safely managed sanitation services, while a further 2.3 billion lacked any form of basic sanitation.
The task of ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water will involve providing 800 million people with basic service and improving the accessibility of existing sanitation services to a further 2 billion people.
Facts and figures
5.2 billion71 percent of the global population, 5.2 billion people, had safely-managed drinking water in 2015, but 844 million people still lacked even basic drinking water.
2.9 billion39 percent of the global population, 2.9 billion people, had safe sanitation in 2015, but 2.3 billion people still lacked basic sanitation. 892 million people practiced open defecation.
80%80 percent of wastewater goes into waterways without adequate treatment.
2 billionWater stress affects more than 2 billion people, with this figure projected to increase.
80%80 percent of countries have laid the foundations for integrated water resources management.
70%The world has lost 70 percent of its natural wetlands over the last century
