Water - Resource

For human beings, nothing can replace water. Our "blue planet" owes its name to the water that covers around two-thirds of the earth's surface. Nevertheless, water is still a scarce resource: only 1% of world's water is available as drinking water.

Contaminated water and lack of hygiene are among the main causes of disease in developing countries. According to United Nations estimates, 0.9 billion people have no access to clean drinking water, while 2.5 billion must even do without minimal sanitary facilities. Diseases caused by contaminated water cost the lives of around 6,000 children every day.

The UN puts the minimum daily water requirement for drinking, washing and household use at around 50 litres per head. Some 8% of the available water is used by households, while 70% of the water intake worldwide goes to agriculture. However, water is not only an elixir of life but also plays a central part in economic development. More than 30 of the world's countries obtain over 80% of their electricity from water power.

Many countries, for example Bangladesh, have enough or even too much water. But poor water quality and the high cost of purification and efficient distribution mean that the people are faced with almost insurmountable problems. Without outside help and financial resources, they are often unable to cope.

The problems are exacerbated by the increase in population and the associated increase in water and food requirements, and by climate change. According to the latest forecasts, as early as 2025 more than half the world's population will have no reliable water supply.

The United Nation's "Water for Life" Decade began on 22 March 2005. Politicians, economists and society at large are being asked to pay more attention to this issue, including across national boundaries.

The Munich Re Foundation has set itself the goal of raising awareness of this problem among people in the industrialised nations too. At the same time, it is offering direct support to people who have to struggle each day with a shortage of drinking water.

> Water as a Risk Factor