Message by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on World Water Day

联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯世界水日致辞

 

22 March 2021

2021年3月22日

 

 

This year’s World Water Day, with the theme “Valuing water”, asks: What does water mean to me?

       今年世界水日的主题是“珍惜水”。世界水日让我们思考：水对我而言意味着什么？

 

The value of water is profound and complex. There is no aspect of sustainable development that does not fundamentally rely upon it.

       水的价值具有重大而复杂的意义。可持续发展的方方面面都以水为本。

 

For me, water means protection. A well-managed water cycle – encompassing drinking water, sanitation, hygiene, wastewater, transboundary governance, the environment and more – means a defence against ill-health and indignity and a response to challenges from a changing climate and increasing global demand.

       对我而言，水意味着保护。管理良好的水循环包含保障饮用水、环境卫生和个人卫生、废水处理、跨界治理、环境保护等内容。管理良好的水循环意味着保护健康免受损害、尊严免遭侮辱，还意味着应对气候变化和不断增长的全球需求带来的挑战。

 

This World Water Day, we want to record and understand as many views as possible, so decision-makers are better informed and equipped to safeguard this human right for every person and every purpose.

       值此世界水日，我们希望记录和了解尽可能多的观点，以便决策者更好地了解情况，更有能力保障人人享有这项人权，以实现每项目标。

 

Today, we are not on track to ensure everyone has access to water and sanitation by 2030, as set out in Sustainable Development Goal 6. While advances being made, current progress needs to quadruple to achieve universal access.

       今天我们还无法按照可持续发展目标6的规定，确保到2030年使人人享有水和环境卫生。尽管已取得进展，但目前的进展需要翻两番才能实现普遍享有的目标。

 

Chronic under-investment in water and sanitation disadvantages and harms vast numbers of people. This is unacceptable.

       对水和环境卫生的投资长期不足，使许多人处于不利地位并受到伤害。这是不可接受的。

 

I am encouraged by the joint statement signed by some 160 countries during the UN High-Level meeting on water on 18 March. This shows a strong commitment to advancing all water-related aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals.

       3月18日，约160个国家在联合国水问题高级别会议上签署了联合声明，这令我感到鼓舞。这表明为推进可持续发展目标中所有与水有关的目标作出了坚定承诺。

 

On this World Water Day, let us commit to intensifying efforts to truly valuing water so all may have equitable access to this most precious resource.

       值此世界水日，让我们承诺加紧努力，真正珍惜水，使所有人都能公平获得这一最宝贵的资源。