2026 March 18, We celebrated World Water Day and UNESCO’s World Day for Glaciers. Rising global temperatures are causing glaciers to retreat at an alarming rate, disrupting the water cycle and threatening water supplies for millions, while droughts and floods intensify and water scarcity spreads. Already, over 2 billion people lack safe drinking water, mostly in the poorest communities. This escalating global water security challenge demands an urgent shift from business-as-usual to a systemic, programmatic approach to integrated water governance, one that values and conserves water as a precious resource, strengthens data and institutions, and delivers cross-sector solutions with wide-ranging benefits for people and nature. International cooperation and climate finance are critical to bridging the investment gap; the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the world’s largest climate fund, has mobilised roughly USD 4.7 billion for over 175 water projects across more than 110 countries, helping countries build climate-resilient water systems and scale up innovative water adaptation solutions around the world. By linking global ambition with local action and uniting climate, water, and development efforts, we can secure water for all, protect our glaciers, and ensure a sustainable, equitable future.
Find my thought piece on World Water Day here
