…essentiality

            water is linked to almost every process on Earth and conditions life’s existence

            water ensures food production, can be canalized to obtain energy and it underlies human well-being

 

…and ecosystems

            supply the planet with water suitable for consumption, industry, recreation and maintenance of wildlife habitat

            ecosystems protection and management can mitigate the impacts of floods and water scarcity

             ecosystems services contribute to wastewater cleaning

 

…as a source of conflict

             since 1948, more than 250 agreements of cooperation were signed worldwide; though, within the same timeframe, there have been 37 conflicts over water availability

            almost two-thirds of the world’s transboundary rivers do not have a cooperative management framework

 

…and environmental disasters

          the climate change can cause new and extreme, less predictable weather conditions; this will affect the processes of rainfall, snowmelt, river flows and groundwater reservoirs, and may further deteriorate water quality