Forty Per Cent of World’s People Affected by Water Scarcity, Secretary-General Says in Message to Budapest Summit, Calls for Conservation Strategies

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Budapest Water Summit, held in Budapest from 15 to 17 October:

I am pleased to address the Budapest Water Summit, and I commend the Government of Hungary for hosting this important gathering. 

Forty per cent of the world’s people are affected by water scarcity.  Eighty per cent of wastewater is discharged untreated into the environment.  And more than 90 per cent of natural disasters are water-related.

Growing demand for water, poor resource management and the climate emergency have all added to the stress.  At the same time, solutions exist — from conservation strategies to desalination technologies.  Scaling up such initiatives is urgent and crucial for reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, combating the climate crisis, preventing water-related conflicts and building lives of dignity for all.

Our bodies, our cities and our industries, our agriculture and our ecosystems all depend on water.  Water is a human right.  The United Nations is fully committed to working with you to uphold this right for all.  Thank you.