Over 2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation, said Sonja Koeppel, the Secretary of Water Convention at the UN Economic Commission for Europe, Report informs.
Koeppel shared this alarming statistic at the event themed "Water for Climate: Integrating Water Solutions into NDCs and NAPs,” held as a part of COP29.
"In the region where we are currently gathered, more than 60% of freshwater resources originate in transboundary basins," Koeppel noted. "At the national level, only 5% of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) consider water supply as a high priority, while sanitation and hygiene are prioritized in just 16%. Transboundary water is considered in less than 2% of NDCs."
Koeppel expressed hope that future NDCs, including those currently under development, will place greater emphasis on water-related issues. He explained that to support this goal, the Water Convention has created an action-oriented document that includes recommendations on these topics.
"First and foremost, we recommend the preparation of comprehensive initial assessments that holistically consider water-related issues, from quality to demand, as well as water supply, sanitation, and transboundary matters," Koeppel added.