UN Documents
Making Every Drop Count (February 15, 2007)
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that two-thirds of the world's population may be facing "water stress conditions" by 2025. Water scarcity, already an issue for 1.1 billion people worldwide, is worsening due to poor resource management and increased usage, especially in agriculture. The FAO reports that techniques such as harvesting rainfall and reducing waste in irrigation may be the solution for "sustainable, efficient and equitable management" of water resources.(UN FAO)
Human Development Report 2006 (November 9, 2006)
The 2006 Human Development Report argues that water and sanitation must be put "front and centre on the development agenda." 1.1 and 2.6 billion people do not have access to clean water and sanitation respectively, causing the death of nearly two million children annually. Reaching the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on water and sanitation would save these lives as well as bring large economic benefits to developing countries, and is essential to reaching the other seven MDGs. Hoping to see diminishing "tolerance for [...] extreme inequalities," and the G8 countries taking on a central role, the report calls for a 'Global Action Plan' to tackle the global water and sanitation crisis similar to the way major US and European cities tackled their deadly water and sanitation situation 100 years ago. (UNDP)