Each year the United Nations host the World Water Day around the Spring Equinox and this year it is tomorrow Saturday 22nd and the theme is glacier preservation.
- Glaciers are melting faster than ever. As the planet gets hotter due to climate change, our frozen world is shrinking, making the water cycle more unpredictable and extreme.
- Glacial retreat threatens devastation. For billions of people, meltwater flows are changing, causing floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise, and damaging ecosystems.
- Glacier preservation is a survival strategy. We must work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage meltwater more sustainably for people and the planet
While we have no glaciers in Ireland, glaciers are freshwater resources and as they melt they flow to the sea and we lose a proportion of the global freshwater resource. Despite 70% of the Earth being covered by water, more than 97% of that is salt-water. Only about 3% of all water on Earth is freshwater and over 2% of that is in glaciers. That leaves about 1% as freshwater accessible for all human activities, plant and animal life.
Although we are water rich in Ireland, we still need to protect our freshwater resources, use less and pollute less and value this precious resource.
Why not get out and visit a local water body this weekend.
This year to mark World Water Day the Forum has shared our Learn about Water resources with schools across the country. These resources are available to download for free at the link below:
