Water of Life
World Water Day 2014: Water and Energy
Stayed tuned to find out what activities Just Forests will get up to for World Water Day 2014
PUTTING THE *NEXUS AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO! (*a connection or series of connections linking two or more things: the nexus between industry and political power. ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from Latin, ‘a binding together’, from nex- ‘bound’, from the verb nectere)
Water and energy (in particular wood) are closely interlinked and interdependent. Energy generation and transmission requires utilization of water resources, particularly for hydroelectric, nuclear, and thermal energy sources. Conversely, about 8% of the global energy generation is used for pumping, treating and transporting water to various consumers.
The World Water Day 2014 theme of Water and Energy is central to achieving a sustainable future. It also cuts to the heart of inequities, particularly for the poorest of the poor, who suffer greatly from lack of access to water, sanitation and modern forms of energy. World Water Day aims to raise awareness across a broad range of business domains and government sectors to solve water and energy challenges in a cohesive way.
World Water Day Team
Objectives of World Water Day in 2014
- Raise awareness of the inter-linkages between water and energy
- Contribute to a policy dialogue that focuses on the broad range of issues related to the nexus of water and energy
- Demonstrate, through case studies, to decision makers in the energy sector and the water domain that integrated approaches and solutions to water-energy issues can achieve greater economic and social impacts
- Identify policy formulation and capacity development issues in which the UN system, in particular UN-Water and UN-Energy, can offer significant contributions
- Identify key stakeholders in the water-energy nexus and actively engaging them in further developing the water-energy linkages
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Contribute as relevant to the post-2015 discussions in relation to the water-energy nexus.
World Water Day 2014 Key Messages
World Water Day is about what you will do in 2014 and beyond to promote sustainable practices in the realm of water and energy. The key messages provided below are to be used as a basis to help you frame and design your own activities and messages. You can adapt the messages to your local conditions or to your specific audience to make them more targeted and efficient.
1. Water requires energy and energy requires water
Water is required to produce nearly all forms of energy. Energy is needed at all stages of water extraction, treatment and distribution.
2. Supplies are limited and demand is increasing
Demand for freshwater and energy will continue to increase significantly over the coming decades. This increase will present big challenges and strain resources in nearly all regions, especially in developing and emerging economies.
3. Saving energy is saving water. Saving water is saving energy
Choices concerning the supply, distribution, price, and use of water and energy impact one another.
4. The “bottom billion” urgently needs access to both water and sanitation services, and electricity
Worldwide, 1.3 billion people currently live without electricity, 780 million people lack access to safe drinking water and 2.5 billion people are without sanitation. Water and energy have crucial impacts on poverty alleviation.
5. Improving water and energy efficiency is imperative as are coordinated, coherent and concerted policies
Better understanding between the two sectors of the connections and effects on each other will improve coordination in energy and water planning, leading to reducing inefficiencies. Policy-makers, planners and practitioners can take steps to overcome the barriers that exist between their respective domains. Innovative and pragmatic national policies can lead to more efficient and cost effective provision of water and energy services.
To find out more and download campaign materials please visit http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/home/en/
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