What is World Water Day? 

This article has been updated.

World Water Day is held every year on 22 March, and is a United Nations (UN) day focused on raising awareness of the importance of freshwater.

This year's World Water Day theme, Glacier Preservation, highlights the urgent need to protect glaciers, as their rapid melting threatens water security, ecosystems and livelihoods, requiring collective global and local action.

"Glaciers may be shrinking, but we cannot shrink from our responsibilities ... Action this year is critical. Every country must deliver strong national climate action plans aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius," reminds UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.

The stats around freshwater speak for themselves:

And so World Water Day has been observed since 1993 to highlight the work that remains to ensure everyone on Earth has access to clean drinking water. And while it's a high-profile issue – check out our podcast with Matt Damon below – the figures above emphasize the challenges that remain, especially with freshwater usage increasing each year.

The World Health Organization warns that "historical rates of progress would need to double" for the world to achieve universal coverage of basic drinking water services by the end of the decade.

Only 0.5% of water on Earth is useable and available freshwater – and climate change is dangerously affecting that supply, says the World Meteorological Association. Over the past 20 years, terrestrial water storage – including soil moisture, snow and ice – has dropped at a rate of 1cm per year, with major ramifications for water security.

From climate change to urbanization and demographic changes, water supply systems face numerous risks. Indeed, the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2025 lists "natural resource shortages" as the 4th biggest risk over the next decade.

That's why raising awareness on conserving and protecting freshwater for everyone on Earth is vital, especially as the world looks to find – and implement – solutions.

Water and climate change are inextricably linked, with glaciers playing a critical role in maintaining freshwater availability. Rising global temperatures are accelerating glacial melt, disrupting the seasonal flow of meltwater that feeds major river systems. These rivers support agriculture, drinking water supply, and hydropower for millions of people, particularly in lowland regions.

As glaciers recede, water sources become less predictable, leading to prolonged droughts, reduced soil moisture, and declining groundwater levels. At the same time, excessive glacial melting can contribute to flooding, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods, endangering communities and infrastructure. These disruptions affect ecosystems, food security and livelihoods, making glacial melt a key driver of water-related challenges in a changing climate.

Find out more about the challenges in the session below from our Annual Meeting in 2024 – Out of Balance with Water.

Innovation and entrepreneurial thinking can also help conserve and protect freshwater sources. The World Economic Forum's UpLink platform supports purpose-driven entrepreneurs by building ecosystems to help scale their businesses, focusing on solutions for global challenges such as climate change, ecosystem degradation and inequality.

One of its Top Innovators is a Latin American Climatech company connecting farmers seeking to improve irrigation practices with companies focused on water security. Kilimo implements measurable, auditable actions that deliver water volumetric benefits through partnerships between farmers and companies. With this business model, it aims to promote climate adaptation and ensure water availability for communities, ecosystems and economic development.

Meanwhile, the video below shows how sustainable water management practices, including conservation techniques like Ice Stupas and Glacial Grafting, can help mitigate some of these challenges by supporting water storage and availability in vulnerable regions.

Collaboration between public and private sectors has a significant role to play in providing clean water for all, and ensuring a sustainable, resilient global water system. The Forum's Water Futures Community is a collaborative platform driving solutions and finance to address emerging water challenges, advancing the global water agenda through dialogue and partnerships.