World Water Day is celebrated every March 22nd to remind us of the importance of this resource for life on our planet. Water is essential for all living beings, from plants to animals, including us humans. The Universal Declaration of the Right to Water is a document that recognizes water as the planet’s heritage and everyone’s responsibility.1
The United Nations (UN), creator of the commemorative date, adopted the theme “Water for Peace” this year, emphasizing that water has the potential to foster peace or generate conflicts. He also highlighted that as the impacts of climate change worsen and populations grow, there is a pressing need, both nationally and internationally, to collaborate to protect and preserve our most essential resource.2
In Brazil, the theme chosen was “Water unites us, the climate drives us”, as announced during the launch of the 2024 Water Journey by ANA – Agência Nacional de Águas e Saneamento Básico. According to the Agency, the choice of this topic is due to the importance of water and climate in people’s daily lives, highlighting that they are essential factors for the future of humanity. Climate change, according to ANA, mainly affects vulnerable groups, causing shortages of water for consumption, increases in food prices due to extreme weather events and the emergence of diseases.3
It is also important to highlight that, according to UN data, “2.2 billion people still live without safely managed drinking water, including 115 million people who drink surface water (WHO/UNICEF, 2023). Approximately half of the world’s population faces severe water shortages for at least part of the year (IPCC, 2022).”6
Aware of the urgency of the issue, the Regional Labor Court of the 15th Region adopted measures to raise awareness of sustainable consumption and managed to reduce water consumption by 32.14% in 2023 compared to 2019. This result was achieved through measures such as: awareness campaigns and conscious consumption; promotion of preventive maintenance in hydraulic installations and installation of more efficient flushes and taps with energy-saving devices.4 The measures seek to effectively contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) – 6 “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” .5
In this sense, we must act based on the understanding that water is not just a resource to be used and compete for – it is a human right, intrinsic to all aspects of life. Together, we can ensure that water continues to flow clean and healthy for future generations. So, let’s celebrate World Water Day every day, taking care of this precious resource that sustains life on our planet.
Sustainability, Accessibility and Integrity Coordination
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT ADVISORY – TRT15