..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 19 March006
Media Advisory No. N/14/2007

Invitation to the Commemoration of World Water Day, 22 March 2007

BANGKOK (United Nations Information Services)---In commemoration of the World Water Day (WWD), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), in cooperation with other UN agencies, will organize a special event on Thursday, 22 March 2007 at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC). This year’s global theme is focused on ‘Coping with Water Scarcity’ which highlights how critical water is for sustainable development, including for the alleviation of poverty and hunger, and an indispensable resource for human health and well-being.

As a recent UNESCAP study highlights, water scarcity is an increasing priority and major challenge to the rapidly growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region and one of the most important obstacles to sustainable development. In 1950, no subregions in Asia had specific water availabilities ranked as very low (estimated at 2,000 m3/yr per capita) or catastrophically low (1,000 m3/yr per capita) and almost half the population had medium and very high water availabilities.

By 1995, fundamental changes occurred in this situation: catastrophically low specific water availability was experienced in several subregions, in areas home to 58 per cent of the population of the region. The study points out that if no improvement are made in the management of water resources, the situation will become much worse by 2025, when about two-thirds of the population of the region would suffer from catastrophically low specific water availability, with half of the population of the region would have specific water availability of less that 500 m3/yr per capita. The study also points out that future water situation in the region would depend mainly on the rate on population growth, climate change and water consumption.

World Water Day 2007 commemorations in Bangkok will feature an exhibition and a panel discussion on “Coping with water scarcity: can developing countries in Asia and the Pacific achieve the MDGs?.” Panelists will include representatives from the media, leading International Organizations working in the region on the issue, as well as Thai agencies tackling the problem in Thailand.

NOTE TO EDITORS: You or your representative are cordially invited to attend the commemoration of the World Water Day from 8.30 hrs. to 11.00 hrs. on Thursday, 22 March in the Theatre of the United Nations Conference Centre, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok.

For more information, please contact:

Thawadi Pachariyangkun
Public Information Officer
United Nations Information Services
Telephone: 02-288-1861; Fax: 02-288-1052
Email: unisbkk.unescap@un.org