World Water Day
World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis, in support of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis, in support of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
A new World Water Development Report is released each year on or near World Water Day, to provide decision-makers with tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies. This report is coordinated by UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) on behalf of UN-Water. The annual theme for World Water Day is aligned with the focus of the report. UNESCO also contributes to the observance of the Day through its Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), which works all year long to build the scientific knowledge base to help countries manage their water resources in a sustainable way.
Glaciers serve as natural freshwater reservoirs, releasing meltwater that supports drinking water supplies, agriculture, industry, and healthy ecosystems. They provide essential benefits such as climate regulation and protection from natural hazards.
Preserving glaciers is vital for the well-being of individuals and communities worldwide. Through the implementation of sustainable glacier management and monitoring practices, humanity can protect these frozen reservoirs that still hold approximately 70% of Earth's freshwater. Implementing sustainable management practices and fostering international scientific cooperation are vital steps in preserving these critical water sources, ensuring long-term prosperity and promoting global peace.
Glaciers play an essential role in the global water cycle, storing nearly two-thirds of all the freshwater on Earth—they are the water towers of the world.
UN World Water Development Report
A new World Water Development Report is released each year on or near World Water Day, to provide decision-makers with tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies. This report is coordinated by UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) on behalf of UN-Water.
The annual theme for World Water Day is aligned with the focus of the report. UNESCO also contributes to the observance of the Day through its Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), which works all year long to build the scientific knowledge base to help countries manage their water resources in a sustainable way.
Mountain waters and the cryosphere
The 2025 United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR) focuses on mountain waters and their critical role as the world's 'water towers'. The report emphasizes mountains as essential sources of freshwater, vital for meeting basic human needs, ensuring food and energy security for billions of people both in mountain regions and downstream areas.
The UN WWDR 2025 highlights the urgent challenges mountain water systems are facing, particularly the rapidly changing mountain cryosphere due to global climate change. The report draws special attention to the accelerating glacier melt, decreasing snow cover, and increasing permafrost thaw, which are making water flows from mountains more erratic and uncertain.
The report will be launched both at the UN in New York and at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 21 March 2025, aligning with the first World Day for Glaciers. The launch is organized by UNESCO and partners as part of the World Water Day 2025 campaign.
Key messages
The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution of 22 December 1992 by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993. States were invited to devote the Day, as appropriate in the national context, to concrete activities such as the promotion of public awareness through the publication and diffusion of documentaries and the organization of conferences, round tables, seminars and expositions related to the conservation and development of water resources.
Resources
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