Water flows through the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. Water resources, and
the essential services they provide, are among the keys to achieving poverty reduction, inclusive growth, public health, food
security, lives of dignity for all and long-lasting harmony with Earth’s essential ecosystems.
Water issues have risen in prominence in recent years, reflecting growing understanding of water’s centrality as well as the
world’s success in achieving the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the proportion of people without sustainable
access to safe drinking water. Between 1990 and 2010, 2.3 billion people gained access to improved drinking water sources,
such as piped supplies and protected wells.
The publication of the World Water Development Report 2015, “Water for a Sustainable World”, comes as Member States
strive to build on the gains made under the MDG framework, articulate an inspiring post-2015 development agenda and
reach an ambitious agreement on climate change. The report illustrates the complex linkages between water and critical areas
such as human health, food and energy security, urbanization, industrial growth and climate change. It also describes the
status of the world’s water resources, including an overview of the impacts of unsustainable growth on freshwater resources,
and suggests possible responses to these challenges.
The World Water Development Report 2015, coordinated by UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme, brings together
31 UN-Water Members and 37 Partners, and offers data and information aimed at policy- and decision-makers, inside and
outside the water sector. The decisions that determine how water resources are used (or abused) are not made by water
managers alone. Progress towards sustainable development thus requires engaging a broad range of actors. I appeal to
Government leaders as well as civil society and the private sector to join forces to protect and share our most precious
resource, and to build a more sustainable future for all.
Ban Ki-moon