World Water Day 2025 message from UNU Rector Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala:
"As we celebrate World Water Day 2025, glacier preservation could not be a more salient call to action. We are quite literally walking on thin ice in our fight against climate change. Rapidly shrinking glaciers point directly to the increasing consequences of inadequate action.
"Glaciers and ice sheets hold 70% of the Earth’s fresh water, while providing vital balance in our planetary systems and essential support for life and livelihoods throughout the world. By turning attention to glacier preservation, our collaborative climate action can meet at a powerful intersection of historical, ecological, geologic and human-centred solutions, addressing the needs of the local communities and the Indigenous Peoples protecting our glaciers.
"For five decades, the United Nations University (UNU) has produced insights on the integral role of water in achieving sustainable development. In the past few years, however, UNU research has sounded the alarm on the rapid retreat of glaciers and the resulting risks for people and planet.
"During this International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, UNU is expanding its focus on the profound role glaciers play in monitoring, stabilizing and sustaining our world. Working closely with other UN agencies, community and regional organizations, and governments such as Canada and Tajikistan, UNU is building partnerships that put glaciers at the forefront of water research and climate change action.
"On this World Water Day, let us highlight glacier preservation as both an urgent commitment to achieve water-related Sustainable Development Goals, and a reminder that to overcome interconnected global challenges we need interconnected evidence-based solutions."
World Water Day messages from UN agency leaders are available on the World Water Day 2025 website.
