Time to Wake Up Amidst Looming Water Crisis: “Climate Change is Water Change. Whenever we talk about climate volatility, we also mean water volatility. The Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report 2018 on Water and Sanitation reviews the global progress made towards achieving SDG 6, concluding that 'the world is not on track' to achieve SDG 6 by 2030. This is a very real and astonishing reality which we need to take cognizance of”. These are the excerpts of the address of Dr Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation on an invite from Synod College, Meghalaya on June 5, 2019 on the eve of World Environment Day as a Chairperson of the session. The programme was hosted in collaboration with P.A.Sangma Foundation and Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA). Understanding the already grim Water situation, What are we supposed to do? Wait for a 'Day Zero like in South Africa' or seize the opportunity to secure Water Availability for the present and the GeNEXT ???? The Choice is ours. Climate change is one of the main driving forces of change for water resources management, together with demographic, economic, environmental, social and technological forces. Warmer temperatures are creating patterns of deeper droughts, land degradation and desertification, creating a stress on food security. Water conflicts can arise in water stressed areas among local communities and between countries because sharing a very limited and essential resource is extremely difficult. They are often conceived in isolation, but solutions to the major challenges must be seen through an integration approach. Links between water and climate change have for a long time been ignored in international climate summits. But now, it has started seeking a central stage in international platform. In the 21st Century, freshwater supplies are drying up, explosive population growth is straining world resources, and global hyper-nationalism is testing diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, water demand is expected to step up 55% between 2000 and 2050. In the coming century, in terms of its value as a global resource, it's been described as “the Next OIL"...........................more http://smeworld.asia/Money.aspx?Money=Money-131/arvind+kumar#.XcvRrdIzbIV ;