UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
@UNESCOWWAP
Provides knowledge on freshwater use & management, promotes gender equality & sustainability in the water domain through capacity development & policy dialogue
Good news for Europe’s waters: #pesticide use in the EU hits record low! Some facts: 💧Pesticide sales fell to 292,000 tonnes (2023), reducing harmful runoff into rivers, lakes & groundwater 📉 Use & risk dropped 46% since 2011 🔍 Nevertheless, >230 'emergency derogations'…
No nation owns a river—it flows for all. To protect transboundary waters like #RiverNoolturesh, we need: ✅ Binding regional treaties ✅ Joint river basin initiatives ✅ Shared data + early warning systems ✅ Community diplomacy & trust-building #WaterKnowsNoBorders
#DYK? Mountains host 25 of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots! 😯 The fact that mountains generally have lower temperature 🌡️ and higher precipitation 🌦️ has much to do with that! Map of the world's biodiversity hotspots below 🌱
⚠️ 1 in 4 freshwater species is at risk of extinction! Research shows that the species richness depends on the land use. Smaller #Natura2000 sites support more freshwater #biodiversity when surrounded by wet, diverse and patchy landscapes. ⬇️ environment.ec.europa.eu/news/researche… #SfEP
Freshwater landscapes are home to 10% of all known species on Earth but a recent IUCN co-authored study reveals 1/4 of freshwater animals at risk of #extinction. It is the largest global assessment of freshwater animals on the @IUCNRedList to date. bit.ly/4adwI9N
I’ve seen what drought leaves behind. 🪣 In Kenya, herders formed human chains to pull water from deep, drying wells. 🌾 In South Africa, a young farmer asked me, “what hope do I have? To pray for rain, or leave my farm?” 🚢 In Uzbekistan, I ran across the dry bed of the Aral…
Happy World Day to Combat #Desertification and #Drought🌏💧 #DYK that desertification is the process that turns fertile land into less productive -often barren- areas through unsustainable use and climate change? 🤔 But here's the silver lining: we can prevent and even reverse…
Shrinking wetlands on the Iran-Iraq border are triggering dust storms 🌬️🏜️, biodiversity loss 🪹, forced migration 🚶 & rising tensions📈. The 'Hoor al-Azim' & 'Hoor al-Hawizeh' lifelines are dying due to dams, oil, & climate change. 💧Water scarcity is a key trigger to…
Conflict, migration & hunger! Some of the consequences of the drying Hoor Al-Azim wetlands in Iran. I spoke to experts about how this can lead to more sand & dust storms, fires and biodiversity loss in the region. #Wetlands #RamsarCOP15 #Khuzestan context.news/climate-risks/…
UNESCO WWAP’s Capacity Development Programme helps close the #datagap in water ⚖️🪣💧 Based on our 2019 Toolkit, trainings equip participants to: ✔ Collect & analyse sex-disaggregated water data ✔ Design gender surveys ✔ Integrate 'equality' into water policies & projects…
DYK that #mountains: 🧬are global hotspots of agrobiodiversity? They preserve large fraction of the world’s gene pools for agriculture and medicinal plants. 🦋harbour more endemic species than lowlands, making them vital for global #biodiversity? Let’s protect these vital…
Colombia is the host of this year's Desertification and Drought Day global observance on 17 June in Bogotá. It will spotlight the country's bold efforts to restore land, unlock opportunities and ensure a better future for all. Learn more ➡️ unccd.int/news-stories/p… #UNited4Land
#DYK? Biodegradation = the natural breakdown of chemicals by microorganisms. A new study across 🇪🇸🇬🇷🇩🇪🇸🇪🇨🇭 tested 97 chemicals in 18 river sites ! 🧪🌊 • 95 compounds showed signs of degradation, 2 did not; • Degradation rates varied significantly by location.…
🏔️ As glaciers retreat, so do its vital water services. In view of this, policymakers must take urgent action. How? 🤔 1⃣ Integrating awareness & #preparedness in policies — locally, regionally & globally 2⃣ Through bold adaptation & mitigation efforts, e.g.: • alternative…
As #climatechange progresses & glaciers retreat, #mountaincommunities face growing risks — from loss of pasture through geohazards to water insecurity 🌊🚱🧺 These changes disproportionately impact local communities and #IndigenousPeoples worldwide. Some examples of communities…
Want to learn about #water, #mountains and #glaciers but not in the mood to read? 📖 We got you: Simply LISTEN to the executive summary of the #WorldWaterReport 2025 👂 Now available in English, French, Italian, Korean & Spanish 🫰 #DYK #WWDR
"Where does most of the world's #freshwater come from?" If you have been paying attention, you should know the answer to this one! 🥸 No?... 🤔 🤫quickly visit: unesco.org/reports/wwdr/e… #Mountainsandglaciers #WorldWaterReport #WWDR
Iran faces escalating land subsidence — up to 36 cm/year — driven by #groundwater overextraction for water-heavy farming, such as pistacchio💧 🧺 Aquifers are being depleted faster than they can recharge, threatening #watersecurity, agriculture, ecosystems, and even the…
The impact of #climatechange on #mountainsandglaciers goes beyond changes in snow cover and ice volume ❄️🧊 Thawing permafrost and shifting precipitation patterns are fueling geohazards —like landslides, avalanches, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) 💧⛈️🪨 The way…
This #EarthDay 🌍, we spotlight water—the lifeblood of our planet. From #glaciers to groundwater, from #mountains to deltas, protecting water means protecting life, ecosystems, and future generations. Let’s act boldly for clean, equitable, and sustainable water for all.…
