The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment has joined, once again, the commemorative events of World Water Day, which is celebrated today around the world to highlight the essential role of water, promote improvements for the world population that suffers problems related to this vital resource and discuss how we should manage water resources in the future. This year, the United Nations has dedicated the celebration to the link between water and employment.
 
The UN stresses that water is an essential element of life, and not only for quenching thirst or protecting health, but that water is also vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social and human development.
 
According to its figures, half of the world’s workers (1,500 million people) work in water-related sectors. And, on the other hand, almost all jobs, regardless of the sector, depend directly on it.
 
Water is an essential element of sustainable development. Water resources, and the range of services they provide, play a key role in poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. Water supports people’s well-being and inclusive growth, and has a positive impact on the lives of billions of people, by impacting issues affecting food and energy security, human health and the environment.
 
The Fundación Biodiversidad supports the development of 87 projects dedicated to habitat restoration, species monitoring, training and awareness on sustainable water management and the development of studies on the economic valuation of water resources, with an investment of 1.2 million euros. Up to 45 of these projects have had the significant involvement of volunteers.
 
The Biodiversity Foundation is also executing as its most outstanding project the LIFE+ Desmania for the conservation of the “Iberian desman”, which involves the collaboration of eight national and regional entities, from Extremadura and Castilla y León, and the Duero, Tagus and Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederations, and which has a total amount of almost 2.6 million euros.
 
The Iberian desman is a small semi-aquatic insectivorous mammal that is distributed throughout the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula. Its populations have experienced a significant decline and, in some Autonomous Communities, it is in danger of extinction. The main threats have to do with causes that lead to the degradation and fragmentation of their habitat, and are mainly of anthropic origin, such as water pollution, among others.