Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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September 11, 2025 Climate and Environment
2.4 billion people today live in countries where water is scarce, and in 2022 at least 1.7 billion people were forced to use water from contaminated sources. These alarming figures were cited by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Water, Retno Marsudi, in an interview ahead of the launch of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) scientific forum “Atoms for Water,” which opens on September 16.
Former Indonesian Foreign Minister (2014–24), Retno Marsudi is today one of the most prominent figures raising the issue of water security.
Water as a personal experience
Marsudi emphasizes that water is not only a global issue for her, but also a personal one:
“Water has always been something very personal to me. As a woman, I understand that water-related challenges disproportionately affect women and girls. In many countries, water scarcity and limited access to safe water places a particular burden on them, forcing them to travel long distances to fetch water for their families.”
She adds that the conversation about water cannot be reduced to just infrastructure:
"To talk about water is to talk about survival. It is about protecting the basis of life and livelihood."
Priorities for the Future
Marsudi cites climate change, extreme weather events and lack of funding as the main threats to the future.
“Today, the world’s water systems are under stress like never before… Meeting future water and infrastructure needs will require about $6.7 trillion by 2030 and more than $22 trillion by 2050,” the Special Envoy said.
Everyone's responsibility
She believes that the key condition for providing the world's population with water is the unification of efforts by various participants and international cooperation.
“I always emphasize that water is everyone’s responsibility. No one person, institution or country can solve global water problems alone,” Marsudi emphasizes.
Technologies and the role of the IAEA
The Special Envoy pays special attention to nuclear technologies, in particular isotope hydrology.
It is a scientific field that uses natural variations in stable and radioactive isotopes in water to analyze its origin and quality. It allows for a better understanding of the world's water systems.
“The ability of isotope hydrology to accurately track the origin, age and quality of water makes it a revolutionary solution in water resources management,” says Marsudi.
“I believe that through the application of nuclear science and technology, the IAEA will contribute to improving the stability of global water resources,” she adds.
2026: UN Water Conference
The United Arab Emirates will host the UN Water Conference in December 2026. The previous water conference, the first in decades, was held in New York in March 2023. The upcoming forum will be critical for water management, Marsudi said.
“Expectations for the 2026 Water Conference are very high. It will be a major milestone for advancing global water progress and an opportunity to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 – clean water and sanitation.”
*Prepared based on an IAEA interview.
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