22nd May, 2025
Have you noticed how quickly we get carried away by most ‘international day’ celebrations?
Yesterday was no different, as we all celebrated the ‘International Day for Biodiversity’ with a splendid theme “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.”
Isn’t that amazing, especially because as human beings – harmony with nature should come as second nature to our existence. Aligning our priorities with nature – to prevent harm, destruction and over exploitation of natural resources.
“We cannot survive without biodiversity, and water is vital for biodiversity survival.“
That means YOU, ME and EACH ONE OF US should uphold the responsibility of protecting nature and promoting sustainability, with a constant reminder that ‘WE’ cannot survive without biodiversity, and that water is vital for biodiversity.
It was quite interesting to read the different posts and insinuations of what an ‘International day for biological diversity’ represents to most people, organisations and communities.
I like this one from the World Economic Forum as it piqued my interest.
They emphasis that the celebration of May 22nd as the International day for biodiversity has now become more crucial with each passing year. Especially when millions of species, both plants and animals are threatened with extinction.
Even so, as the United Nations explained, the extinction of plant and animal species is because of human activities, including the exploitation of nature with direct threats to the health and livelihoods of billions of people around the world, not least vulnerable people in vulnerable communities. Which brings us to the real question.
Can biodiversity survive without water?
As you all know, the answer to this question is NO.
Biodiversity cannot survive without water as water is essential to all forms of life on earth. Water is not only critical for the functioning of our ecosystems, but also, fundamental to the survival of plant and animal species on earth.
For us as human beings, water is needed for your hydration, to regulate your body temperature and most important, for the functioning of your body organs.
Man is no different from other animals or plant species
Man is no different from other animals or plant species. Water is necessary for the metabolic processes of all forms of life.
Water supports the health of our environment and ecosystem.
Water also sustains the growth of all plant species and ensures the survival of animal species.
Imagine fasting for three days or more with no water to drink after fasting.
Just imagine you are fasting for three days or more. At the end of your fasting you realise there is no water to break you fast. Better still, you must go to the shop down the street to buy bottled water just to break your fast.
Even more dramatic, you find yourself in a heatwave of plus 40 degrees with little or no water to drink!
This was my experience in Africa. After a long day in the city, under a heatwave of closed to 45oC, I was happy to be back home. Not wanting to buy bottled water from an unknown source (most bottled water sold at the roadside are either contaminated and unhygienic for consumption), I planned to drink water once I got back home. But after arriving home, there was no drinkable water (as the last bottled water was emptied by other house members) and I had to travel one kilometre to buy clean bottled water.
As upsetting as this situation was for me at the time, it is a befalling situation in most developing countries where bottled water has replaced tap water and/or there is little or no drinkable water.
Water scarcity leads to plant and animal population decline.
Without water, the impact to plant and animal species is irreparable.
Water scarcity leads to plant and animal population decline, which later leads to loss of and decrease in biological diversity and in worst case scenarios, extinction of species population altogether.
According to the United Nations, we are all dependent on a healthy ecosystem for food, water, shelter, medicine etc in spite of our advancement in today’s technology.
Therefore, with 80% of our diets coming from plant-based and 20% from animal-based protein, it is time we protect and safeguard biodiversity, but also water as the true ‘metabolic engine’ of life.
The United Nations stresses the urgency to ‘act now’.
As the urgency to ‘act now’ is stressed by the United Nations under the theme “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development” for this year’s celebration of International Day for Biodiversity, we must all ask this one question, what can I do to minimise the negative impact on biodiversity?
Water insecurity or scarcity for economic reason!
The continues extraction of water for bottling has been observed by researchers as devastating to the environment. In fact, its impact was considered to be 3,500 times greater than the impact of tap water. Yet, bottled water continue to gain favour over tap water.
In a study carried out in Barcelona, Spain, researchers found out that the impact of bottle water was highest for species lost with the consumption of tap water yielding the lowest environmental impact on the ecosystem and its resources.
Another report from the guardian explains how corporate control over our drinking water is draining the water resources as the water tables decline.
Bottled water production and consumption does not only negatively impact the health and livelihoods of millions of community population from where the extraction is taking place.
Its negative impact also includes water resource depletion, plastic pollution due to inappropriate disposal and the production of microplastics that can enter the food chain as well as through the aquatic/marine ecosystem, ending up in our plates.
Global market size of bottled water projected to be 6.4% between 2025 – 2030.
This report by Grand View Research, suggested that the market size of bottled water has increased rapidly since 2020, with global market size projected to be 6.4% between 2025 – 2030.
This projection will add a total of around USD 509.18 billion to the economy by 2030. That means, an increase of around USD 136 billion in the global market size of bottled water within a short period of five years, from 2025.
With this rapidly growing market for global bottled water, driven mostly by economic motivation and the need for convenience and perception, the question we must ask ourselves is this:
How will this action impact biodiversity and the environment by 2030?
For if, we are asked to ‘Act Now’ as a matter of urgency, then the least we can do is reflect on our actions and the role we play each day that either contributes or threatens biodiversity and the environment. Especially in support of the 2030 biodiversity targets.
After all, a healthy ecosystem provides 75% of the global freshwater resources on which biodiversity and billions of human populations depend on for survival. Should this be threatened by the production of bottled water, where does that leave both plants and animal species in an ecosystem that needs water as a critical source to function ?
What is your take on bottled water?
Do you prefer bottled water or tap water?
Leave your comments and do not forget to share.
