The thematic book exhibition "Water Resources for the Future" runs in the International Organizations Documents reading room (2nd floor, room 207g) from March 15 to April 11. This exhibition is dedicated to the World Water Day and International Decade of Water for Sustainable Development (2018-2028).

The idea of the World Water Day was first announced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held from 3 to 14 June of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). This Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on 22 December, 1992 (resolution 47/193) and is observed annually on 22 March since 1993.

The purpose of this Day is to promote active actions aimed at encouraging, conservation and rational use of water resources.

Water is the basis of human life and one of the most valuable natural resources, human existence is impossible without it. It plays a primary role in the diverse processes and phenomena both of living and inanimate nature. Water resources are very important in all spheres of economic, social and human development.

Although 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, 97 % of them are for salt water. Of the remaining 3% are for fresh water, almost 70% are for frozen water – ice caps and glaciers. Only 1% of the total volume of the planet’s water resources is available for human use. Water consumption is constantly increasing every year, and the world’s fresh water reserves continue to dwindle rapidly. In the twentieth century, the world's population increased threefold. During the same period, freshwater consumption increased sevenfold.

According to the UN the water scarcity affects more than 40% of people in the today’s world. Access to clean water deprived 783 million people on the planet. More than 663 million people do not have sources of drinking water near their homes and to provide themselves with water people have to spend a lot of time in queues, or to go long distances on foot. By the middle of the ХII century, the number of people living with a constant water shortage will exceed 4 billion people.

The World Water Day is a unique opportunity to remind humanity about the outstanding importance of water resources for the environment and the development of society.

The activities within the frameworks of the World Water Day are organized by the UN-Water, an inter-agency mechanism designed to address water use problems, as well as Member States and partner agencies. Every year this organization chooses a specific topic related to future or current challenges. This year, the World Water Day is dedicated to the use of natural factors to overcome the water problems of the 21st century. The theme of the Day of 2018 is Nature and Water.

On December 21, 2016, the UN General Assembly unanimously approved resolution A/RES/71/222 entitled "International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development", 2018-2028," sponsored by 177 UN member states. This decade will contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals in the area of integrated water resources management, implementation and promotion of projects and programs in the field of water resources, strengthening cooperation, as well as covering issues related to effective use of water resources and integration between water resources, food, energy and the environment.

The exhibition presents over 100 documents in Russian and English languages: books, periodicals, mimeographed materials, brochures and booklets.

The exposition includes the following thematic sections:

Water resources of the world, their state and use;
international legal instruments for the protection, conservation and use of water resources.;
international watercourses: protection and management of transboundary water resources.;
water scarcity as a global problem;
water for sustainable development. Nature and water;
use, state and protection of water resources in the Republic of Belarus.

The exhibition will be of interesting to scientists, students, postgraduates, specialists in hydrology, environmental economics, environmental protection and all those interested in the problems of the environmental protection of water resources.

Useful links:

World Water Day
International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005 –2015
UN-Water
Water and Sanitation
World Oceans Day (8 June)
International Year of Freshwater (2003)
International Year of Sanitation (2008)
Water Sanitation and Health
World Health Organization