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World Water Day

Kilian Jornet Fundation
March 22, 2026
Kilian Jornet Fundation
March 22, 2026

Water is life but its future is under pressure. From shrinking glaciers to intensifying droughts and floods, the way we manage water today will define the resilience of our societies tomorrow. 

Water is fundamental to life, ecosystems and economic development. Yet the global water system is under increasing pressure as climate change accelerates glacier melt and disrupts natural cycles that billions of people depend on. On 22 March, World Water Day 2026 highlights the critical importance of water for people and the planet, while drawing attention to inequalities in access through this year’s theme: “Water and Gender.”

Elhousine Elazzaoui

NNormal Athlete

“If you don’t have water in the desert, you don’t have anything. Water is life.”

Louisa Moreau

POW France and NNormal Ambassador

“Even if you live far away from the mountains, we are still very connected to them through the water cycle”

Glaciers: vital sources of freshwater

Glaciers are among the planet’s most important natural freshwater reservoirs. Found in mountain ranges around the world, they store vast quantities of freshwater in the form of ice and snow. Mountain glaciers supply up to 60% of global freshwater flows, sustaining millions of people and ecosystems.

Mountains cover about 33 million km² of the Earth’s surface and are home to more than 1.1 billion people, around 15% of the world’s population. An additional 2 billion people living downstream depend on water originating from mountain regions and melting glaciers.

Glaciers play a crucial role in the global water cycle. During colder months they store water as ice and snow, gradually releasing it as temperatures rise. This slow release provides freshwater for drinking water, agriculture, industry and energy production downstream.

Mountain ecosystems are also key to water regulation. Forests cover around 40% of mountain regions, stabilizing slopes, preventing soil erosion and helping regulate floods. However, deforestation, pollution and climate change are degrading these ecosystems, threatening biodiversity and the water services they provide.

Jean-Baptiste Bosson

Glaciologist and Marge Sauvage Director

“We need to change and act together, from deserts to the mountain ranges”

It’s time to take action and support projects that protect this scarce resource. Join the effort, contribute to Marge Sauvage.
Marge Sauvage is a public-interest organization founded in 2024 that works to protect nature through scientific knowledge, projects, and advocacy initiatives.

CONTRIBUTE TO MARGE SAUVAGE

Acting now
Protecting water and the cryosphere

Climate change is rapidly altering these delicate systems. Glaciers are melting faster than ever before, making water availability increasingly unpredictable and intensifying climate extremes.

The World Water Development Report 2025 highlights the scale of the challenge. As the planet warms, glaciers are melting faster than ever. This rapid change is making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme. In many mountain regions, agriculture is already facing increasing water scarcity, leading to reduced crop yields, while growing urbanization is putting additional pressure on fragile water infrastructure.

The retreat of glaciers also increases the risks of floods, droughts, landslides and sea-level rise, with significant consequences for communities and ecosystems. For billions of people, mountain meltwater remains essential for drinking water and sanitation, food production, energy security and environmental stability.

Status of Global Water Resources

  • Agriculture accounts for 72% of freshwater withdrawals, industry 15%, and domestic use 13%.

  • Water use patterns differ by country income: high-income countries use more for industry; low-income countries rely heavily on irrigation.

  • Global freshwater withdrawals rose 14% from 2000-2021, mostly in rapidly developing regions; population growth plays a smaller role.

  • 25 countries face extremely high water stress; around 4 billion people experience severe water scarcity seasonally.

  • Climate change, pollution, land degradation, and natural hazards threaten water availability.

Progress Towards SDG 6 (water & sanitation)

  • SDG 6 aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030 but its targets are largely off track.

  • 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water in 2022; rural areas are most affected.

  • 3.5 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation; Sub-Saharan Africa coverage is only 24%.

  • Data gaps hinder assessment of water management, ecosystems, and quality targets.

Mountains as “water towers”

  • Mountains are the world’s natural water towers, supplying freshwater essential for drinking, sanitation, and irrigation for billions of people both in mountain regions and downstream.

  • They support food and energy security, providing water for agriculture, hydropower, and other vital human activities.

  • Mountain economies rely on a mix of agriculture, pastoralism, forestry, tourism, mining, cross-border trade, and energy production, offering high-value products such as medicinal plants, timber, specialty crops, and unique livestock.

  • Mountains are global biodiversity hotspots, preserving a large share of the world’s genetic diversity for crops, medicinal plants, and livestock.

  • Their diverse ecological zones arise from elevation, climate, geomorphology, isolation, and microclimates, leading to high endemic biodiversity and unique species not found in lowlands.

  • Mountain regions also feature a rich cultural diversity, with distinct human communities adapted to local environments.

Glaciers & the mountain cryosphere

  • Glaciers are a critical part of the Earth’s cryosphere, supplying water, regulating seasonal flows, and supporting ecosystems.

  • Hundreds of thousands of glaciers exist worldwide, storing a large portion of freshwater; together with ice sheets, they cover 10% of Earth’s surface and hold 60% of freshwater.

  • Since 2000, glaciers have lost around 5% of their volume globally, with regional losses up to 40%; melting rates are accelerating.

  • Continued warming could shrink glaciers by 20-50% by 2100 under high-emission scenarios.

  • Glaciers and post-glacial systems support water supply, climate regulation, sea-level moderation, and biodiversity, yet many are poorly protected.

  • Melting glaciers cause erratic water flows and increase risks of floods, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).

2026 United Nations topic
Water and gender

World Water Day 2026 also highlights an important social dimension of the global water crisis: inequality. The theme Water and Gender emphasizes that safe drinking water and sanitation are fundamental human rights and key enablers of gender equality, contributing directly to Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 5.

Despite progress, women and girls continue to bear a disproportionate burden of water-related responsibilities, particularly in communities where access to water and sanitation is limited. They are often responsible for collecting water and managing household sanitation, yet remain underrepresented in water governance and decision-making.

Placing women and girls at the centre of water solutions is essential. When women have an equal voice in water management, services become more inclusive, sustainable and effective, benefiting entire communities.

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