On March, 22nd we celebrated water to highlight once again the importance of this absolutely indispensable element, the need to preserve it and to make it available for all. World Water Day was established in 1992 by the UN and this year it focused on the topic ‘Water and jobs’: the bond between water and employment plays an incredibly important role when it comes to transforming people’s lives, and it’s stronger than what we can imagine.
It has emerged that in fact the 42% of all jobs in the world are directly connected with what could be defined as the water economy. It increases to 78% when we consider occupations where water plays a slightly less binding yet still essential role. From managing its cycle to industrial use, water is a key-factor in the development of employment opportunities, both in sectors connected to its management (infrastructures, wastewater treatment) and in contexts where it plays a fundamental part (fishing, agriculture, sanitary services, the energy sector).
The data in the report talks about over 1.3b jobs worldwide, the 95% of which belongs to the agricultural sector, the 30% to the industrial sector and just the 10% to the service sector. The report also points out a strong and positive correlation between the investments made by some countries in the water sector and economic growth. Several studies corroborate the outcome of the UN report: according to data recently gathered in South America, 100,000 new jobs could be created for every billion dollars invested in the improvement of both water infrastructures and the hygienic-sanitary conditions of water sources.
Water is life… and employment. A resource of rare value.