Global Scans · Clean Water and Sanitation · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 6. Ensure availability of water and sanitation for all.

• [New] The AQLI report underscores that air pollution is India's leading health risk, cutting more years from life expectancy than malnutrition, unsafe water, or tobacco. KPs 21st Century IAS Academy
• [New] According to the Air Quality Life Index, prepared by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, air pollution is the greatest external risk to human health in India, reducing life expectancy more than malnutrition, tobacco, or unsafe water. KPs 21st Century IAS Academy
• [New] With global water demand projected to surge in the coming decades, experts stressed the importance of leveraging advanced technologies, promoting regional cooperation, and investing in research to ensure sustainability. The National
• [New] Water-soluble film-maker Monosol is investing $95 million in an expansion project in Northwest Indiana that will result in 157 new jobs. NWI Forum
• [New] Water insecurity will be one of the defining financial and economic challenges of the next few decades, particularly where intensive animal agriculture is concerned. AgFunderNews
• The UAE inaugurated a 7.5-km pipeline that will deliver desalinated water from Emirati desalination plants in Egypt to the Gaza Strip. ArabNews
• When water scarcity becomes a global problem in the future, the Guarani Aquifer might be a lifeline for millions of people. Worldly Known
• Reducing the water footprint of production has previously been shown to lead to global water savings and reduce the critical water dependency and risks to supply chains. Nature
• About 20% and 50% of soy and beef, respectively, imported into China and the EU, were linked to river basins that experience either high or critical water scarcity and could therefore be a source of conflict and pose risks to supply chains. Nature
• Improved access to water is creating new opportunities for people in some of the world's most remote communities, particularly in landlocked developing countries. UN News
• $97m a year was needed to provide all Malawians with water within a half-hour walk by 2030 - the UN sustainable development goal (SDG) target year - with another $259m required annually for clean water in people's homes. The Guardian

Last updated: 07 September 2025