STOCKHOLM, 12 August 2002 - It is vital that world leaders tackle thegrowing global water crisis before it's too late and start implementing the Millennium Declaration goals, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said today.
In his keynote address to the Stockholm World Water Symposium, Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's Executive Director, said he hoped Heads of State and Government attending the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg will "take decisions that move us on from declarations to action and implementation".
The UN Millennium Declaration goal is to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people who do not have access to safe drinking water (currently 20 per cent).
The UN Millennium Declaration goal is to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people who do not have access to safe drinking water (currently 20 per cent).
Unless action and implementation happen now, in less than 25 years two-thirds of the world's people will be living in "water-stressed"
countries", Mr. Toepfer said. (This is where water consumption is more than 10 per cent of renewable freshwater resources.)
This year, water pollution, poor sanitation and water shortages will kill millions of people", Mr. Toepfer added. "Millions more are in bad health and trapped in poverty, much of their energy and time wasted in the quest
for clean water."
countries", Mr. Toepfer said. (This is where water consumption is more than 10 per cent of renewable freshwater resources.)
This year, water pollution, poor sanitation and water shortages will kill millions of people", Mr. Toepfer added. "Millions more are in bad health and trapped in poverty, much of their energy and time wasted in the quest
for clean water."