22 March is World Water Day. This year, the topic of World Water Day is water and climate change – and how they are inextricably linked. The three key messages are:

• We cannot afford to wait. Climate policy makers must put water at the heart of action plans.

• Water can help fight climate change. There are sustainable, affordable and scalable water and sanitation solutions.

• Everyone has a role to play. In our daily lives, there are surprisingly easy steps we can all take to address climate change.

UNECE, together with WMO and UNESCO in the framework of UN-Water is co-coordinating the preparations for the day. For more information see: https://www.worldwaterday.org/.

For more information on the Water Convention’s activities on water and climate see here.

The World Water Day gives a great opportunity to raise the importance to water and this year, to showcase the central role of water for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Usually the World Water Day is a time to meet face-to-face; however, in 2020 it will be celebrated during the current outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. Therefore, we encourage you to organize activities in a safe way, in line with WHO’s guidance and national authorities’ instructions, for example through online activities. More information is available here.

To raise visibility of your activities you are invited to upload information at https://www.worldwaterday.org/2020-home/act/.

The UN-Water Policy Brief on Climate Change and Water can serve as a good background (available at https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-water-policy-brief-on-climate-change-and-water/).