"March 22 World Water Day"
- 1/1
- Jun 24, 2022
- 5 min read
Water is one of the essential needs of daily life to ensure continuity and protect human health. In 1993, the United Nations declared March 22 as World Water Day and tried to prevent the possible water crisis. However, the water crisis, which is increasing day by day, has come to the point that it will affect the sustainability of social and economic development. World Water Day, which was first celebrated in 1993, aimed to raise awareness for protecting potable water resources. Currently, billions of people in many parts of the world struggle with water scarcity. Access to safe and clean water is indispensable for health.
What is being done about the Waste of Water Consumption in the World?
With the report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), attention has been drawn to how to save water, and essential solutions have been created. It is a guide for those looking for a real permanent solution. A report drew attention to a common language, especially on water conservation. The report also found that actual water savings would not occur because it did not consider the process from the water's exit to the end of its life. It was emphasized that reductions in water consumption or unrecoverable loss and leakage rates should also be followed in order to measure actual water savings. Finally, the report found that water productivity in agriculture remained around 20-50%, with 50-80% of water lost at the source.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) demands that water management become one of the new development goals. At this point, it is demanded that the water target be included in the development targets. By setting the development goals, the water used for access to drinking water and cleaning purposes will be worked on, but the protection and efficient management of water resources will be ensured. Water waste will be prevented, while environmental pollution will also be reduced in line with these targets.
Where Do Companies Rank in Water Consumption Waste?
Agricultural, industrial, and energy sectors with the highest water consumption. As it is believed, drinking water has a minimal share in the overall water consumption. Research conducted per the UNESCO World Water Report shows that water consumption in the industry will be four times higher in 2050 than in 2000. At the same time, as the world population increases, the demand for food will increase. Therefore, agriculture will increase. Furthermore, according to the research undertaken using the same report for 2030, even though there is a 40% global need in 2030, water will not be reached. In light of these findings, no action should be made as soon as feasible. If there is no energy transformation around the world, water waste in agriculture is not prevented, and solutions to reduce the use of water resources in the industry are not found, water resources will quickly run out.
With the increase in global energy demand, the demand for cooling water or water used to generate energy in hydraulic power plants has increased. However, like other natural resources, water is a scarce resource. Moreover, it is a natural resource that will soon run out if a sustainable solution is not provided. Therefore, in the coming days, it will be seen that where the water will be used more wisely will be decided in advance, and the authorities will prohibit contrary actions.
Is Turkey Among Water Poor Countries?
Although there are regions that do not have water problems, there are also regions where almost 700 million people live without access to clean water. According to the water report published by the United Nations, Turkey is among the countries that will be water poor in 2030. At this point, Turkey should immediately establish policies and projects that protect its existing water resources.
(Water-rich countries have 8,000-10,000 m3 of usable water per capita per year, water-poor countries have less than 2,000 m3, and water-poor countries have 1,000 m3 or less.)
What can be done to protect water as one of the fundamental rights?
The United Nations declared water a fundamental right in 2010 because of its importance in preventing water waste and health. Different solutions are envisaged for the protection of water resources. The biggest problem in processes such as the treatment of seawater or wastewater is the need for energy. At this point, if policies that can progress with renewable energy sources are not produced, the environment will continue to be harmed, and the resources will be depleted again. Another solution is thought to be to invest in reservoirs. However, it is discussed that reservoirs are a costly investment that takes a long time and causes a large carbon footprint, and harms the environment. Other solutions found are enabling individuals to consume less water, transferring water between regions, or having water companies stop leaks. It is anticipated that preventing water leaks will result in significant savings. It is also preferred because it is the most efficient and cost-effective method.
What Can Companies Do to Protect Water Resources?
It has been revealed that companies will save an adequate amount by advancing with a system understanding based on international standards. Natural resources will be used most efficiently by following international standards and technological developments. Especially in many industrial areas such as textiles, a severe amount of water is used, and water is wasted. It will be possible to switch to gas washing systems using sustainable washing or carbon dioxide. At the same time, water consumption can be reduced in many industrial systems by choosing a closed-circuit treatment system instead of the traditional biological treatment system. By installing systems that work with the goal of zero waste, such as ZLD, it will be possible to use water many times. Water resources will be protected with many innovations such as rainwater recovery studies and renewable energy resources.
It will be possible to comply with many international standards, such as being a supporter of the United Nations 2030 goals, supporting the CEO Water Mandate, the Global Compact (UNGC) initiative, and complying with the Greenpaper decisions. At this point, as an initiative that carries out many studies as 1/1, you will be able to provide more index and certificate assistance.
What is the Importance of the Creation of Environmentally Friendly Studies in R&D Studies for Companies?
The involvement of environmental awareness in the R&D activities of companies will be more valuable with each passing day. Companies that provide environmentally friendly and innovative solutions will not be able to find a more comfortable place for themselves in the future, and they will not have reduced their production capacity in the face of the global climate crisis. At the same time, they will increase their brand reputation by producing with a keen understanding and positioning themselves in a net positive knowledge. Along with this, they will be followed and followed by many national and international organizations as they lead other companies.
As a result, as we mentioned before, the least water use is in houses, contrary to popular belief. Water consumption, used in industry and energy production areas, called virtual water, destroys resources. For example, approximately 8,000 liters of water are needed to produce denim. Eight thousand liters of water corresponds to 53 tubs of water. For this reason, the solutions that companies will take will be water, which is a fundamental right, and will be a protected and sustainable resource. At this point, every action and work that companies will do will be an investment in the future and will create an advantage over their competitors by creating a positive opinion in society today.
Author:
Buğçe Ağca
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