Decade of Difference
Life is Short
Providing clean water is complex but we believe each of us can do our part to help improve our communities and the world.
That’s why we are calling our next 10 years the "Decade of Difference". We will measure results against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to ensure that everyone, everywhere has safe water and sanitation and that it’s managed in a sustainable way.
In September 2015, 193 world leaders set 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030.
If we achieve the goals set out, it means we will have ended extreme poverty, inequality and climate change.
One of the goals is to ensure that everyone everywhere has safe water and sanitation and that we manage this in a sustainable way. For this to happen we need to look at the water cycle in its entirety, including all uses and users. We need safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene to be healthy and well. We need water to produce our food, energy and sustain our industries. These uses generate wastewater, which may cause pollution if we don’t manage them properly. We must also ensure healthy ecosystems because they can improve the quantity and quality of freshwater, as well as overall resilience to changes we, as humans, make to the environment. The effects of climate change means that there is too little or too much water – scarcity or flooding - depending on where you live in the world.
Drinking Water:
By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
Sanitation:
By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
Water Quality & Wastewater:
By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
Water Use & Scarcity:
By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
Water Resources Management:
By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate.
Ecosystems:
By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
Cooperation:
By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programs, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies.
Participation:
Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.
Show the World on World Water Day
To document today’s water issues, we asked photographers from around the world to show us what the lack of safe drinking water means knowing the water cycle in its entirety includes all uses and users.
On UN World Water Day, March 22, 2018, our distinguished panel of judges selected the final images which were unveiled at the United Nations in New York.
The lack of access to safe drinking water is one of the most important global challenges of the 21st century. These photos document our “Decade of Difference” journey as we work together on these important issues.
See the Photos