This is the first ever State Level World Water Day (WWD) in Kita Kinabalu, co-organised by Jabatan Air Negeri Sabah, Jabatan Kerja Raya Sabah, Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran Sabah and The Institution of Engineers Malaysia Sabah Branch.
A series of related entries will be following shortly but just for eye opener, I'll share some introductory facts about the theme - Water and Food Security. This year marks the 19th Anniversary of the WWD and the theme is one that was chosen by United Nation.
The amount of water on our planet is 97.5% salt water, and only 2.5% is fresh water. The 2.5% freshwater is made up of 68.5% water locked in glaciers, 30.8% is groundwater and 0.3% are lakes and rivers. One-third of the world's population now lives in countries where there is not enough water or its quality compromised, and by 2025 the UN assessed that this number shall increase to two-third. That's just 12 to 13 years from now!
If nothing is done to sustain the availability of freshwater, its scarcity shall increase and the world shall be hungry, especially when the world's population keeps growing. Currently 70% of available water is used in agriculture for the production of food.
The conference doesn't allow plastic bottles in the event. That's cool!
WWD is an international day to celebrate freshwater and it was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and 22 March 1993 was designated as the first World WaterDay.
Since then nations around the world have been celebrating WWD each year by organising their own activities.
