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Freshwater
Freshwater is essential to maintain human health. It is also essential for maintaining many of the ecosystems which provide our food and other essential goods and services.
Of all the water available on Earth, about 2.5% is fresh, and a good part is inaccessible to us. Only a small fraction is available in rivers, lakes and underground. Increased water use as well as increased pollution means that the amount of usable freshwater is decreasing.
By protecting freshwater ecosystems we are also protecting our health.
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Water for health - taking charge [html]
A WHO report (2001), available in html and pdf formats.
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Visit WHO's Water, Sanitation and Health website
RELATED LINKS
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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
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Biodiversity
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Desertification
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Ecosystems publications
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Ecosystems links
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