South Shropshire MP, Philip Dunne, is promoting the fight for clean water worldwide on World Water Day today (22nd March).

Water is essential to tackling today’s most pressing global challenges, from climate change to health to conflict, yet nearly 1 in 10 people around the world do not have clean water close to home. Climate change is worsening this crisis, as floods contaminate fragile water sources and droughts dry up springs and wells.

To mark World Water Day, WaterAid commissioned a study finding that one in four people in the UK (25%) think water is the most important issue to spend overseas aid on and over half (53%) rank it in their top three issues.  

Over two-thirds (70%) also think the UK Government should invest in minimising the impacts of climate change, with just over half (56%) of these believing that investing in water, sanitation and hygiene is the best way to do so.

In 2015, the UK signed up to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes SDG 6: to get water, sanitation and hygiene to everyone, everywhere, by 2030.

Mr Dunne said:

“I was pleased to meet WaterAid in Parliament this week ahead of World Water Day, to speak about the importance of clean accessible water around the world.

“Tackling both climate change, and man-made issues with water pollution, will both be essential if we are to ensure clean water is readily available to people across the world. The UK can play a real leadership role in galvanising international support to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goal of water, sanitation and hygiene across the world by 2030.”

Photo: Philip Dunne MP met Annie Msosa, from Water Aid Malawi, in the House of Commons for World Water Day