World

UN Warning! “Far More People Die From Lack Of Access To Water,” Say Experts

UN Warning: A lack of drinking water and healthy sanitation infrastructure is dire around the world and getting worse, United Nations experts warned in a report issued Thursday.

The report finds that many millions of the world’s 7.78 billion people don’t have enough clean water or sanitation infrastructure that helps keep humans healthy by taking waste away from their homes.

On the second day of a U.N. conference on water, the report calls on the world “to talk about water and take water seriously,” in order to achieve global development goals, said Kaveh Madani, who trained as an engineer with a focus on water resources in Iran and directs the United Nations University, a global think tank.

The report “has some alarming statistics and results but it is better to disclose that early on, while we still have time,” Madani told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York. Report authors pointed out that the lack of access to basic water-related services kills more people globally than floods, droughts, and other disasters, even in the age of global warming.

“Far more people die from lack of access to water, then die from lesser climate disasters … I’m not saying that people aren’t dying,” said Dr. Charlotte McAlister, a British-trained hydrologist and senior researcher at the U.N. University Institute. “But far more people are dying from lack of safe water, safely managed water, and safely managed sanitation.”

One of several reports issued by U.N. agencies on the water this week contains no overarching solution. But Thursday’s report tries to go beyond despair, saying that “important progress can be achieved in the remaining years.” Progress can occur even in countries without the infrastructure or the resources to match wealthier nations’ ability to provide their people with clean water and sanitation, the report says.

Also read: Amritpal Singh: A Non-Amritdhari ‘Sikh’ Truck Driver Who Thrashes Wife, Enjoys Lavish Life in Thailand-Dubai

Nearly three-quarters of the world’s people fall into the category of water insecure, meaning they score below 65 out of 100 on an indicator that combines 10 water-related factors. The report says that over 0.61 billion people (8%) are critically water-insecure.

Of water-insecure people, 4.31 billion people live in the Asia-Pacific region, 1.34 billion in Africa, 415 million in the Americas, and almost 66 million in Europe.

Shruti Chaturvedi

Recent Posts

Hina Khan Hails 11 Years Of PM Modi’s Leadership; Highlights National Progress

As the nation marks 11 years under PM Modi's leadership, actress Hina Khan shares her…

9 hours ago

Subhash Ghai Hails PM Modi’s Transformative Vision For India

Subhash Ghai has praised PM Narendra Modi’s leadership for catalysing India’s growth and changing the…

9 hours ago

India & Central Asia Boost Rare Earth Cooperation At Delhi Meet

India and five Central Asian nations have agreed to deepen cooperation on rare earths and…

10 hours ago

PM Modi’s Beej Se Bazaar Tak Vision Reshapes Indian Agriculture

Prime Minister Modi has redefined Indian agriculture with the ‘Beej Se Bazaar Tak’ vision, transforming…

10 hours ago

EV Sales Cross 4% Mark In May; Signalling Steady Shift To Green Mobility

EV sales topped 4% of passenger vehicle retail in May 2025, signalling growing demand for…

11 hours ago

Self-Reliant Defence Industry Marks India’s Strategic Security Ascent

One year into Modi 3.0, reforms have reduced poverty, strengthened defence, and accelerated the digital…

11 hours ago