With SDG 6, the United Nations aims to ensure clean water and sanitation for all by 2030. Water quality is to be improved by, among other things, ending pollution from hazardous chemicals.

Globally, 2.2 billion people lack continuous access to safe drinking water while 4.2 billion people lack access to clean toilets whose wastewater can be treated and disposed of safely. According to the 2020 UN World Water Report, the situation will worsen as a result of the climate crisis, and even more regions will suffer from water stress.

However, not only is there a shortage of water, but it is also increasingly and far too heavily polluted:

Worldwide, up to 90 percent of wastewater flows untreated into bodies of water, endangering the environment and drinking water supplies. Species loss in rivers, lakes and wetlands is increasing two to three times faster than on land or in the sea.

Achieving all 17 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require nothing less than fundamental change: economic, environmental and social. It is time to acknowledge the limits to growth. We need a society and an economy that treats people and nature with solidarity and care. The textile and apparel industry can make a big contribution to this. In order to provide well-founded suggestions for this, we at textile netwok have placed our reporting from this year onwards under the premise of the SDGs (Sustainable Developmend Goals).

What contribution the textile and apparel industry can make specifically to “Goal 6: clean water” will be highlighted in our upcoming print issue 2/2021 with publication date April 22, 2021 and in addition at www.textile-network.de and www.textile-network.com.

You should no longer miss a printed issue! Simply click here to order your free sample copy.

The 17 sustainability goals at a glance:

• 1 No poverty

• 2 Zero hunger

• 3 Good Health and well-being

• 4 Quality education

• 5 Gender equality

• 6 Clean water and sanitation

• 7 Affordable and clean energy

• 8 Decent work and economic growth

• 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure

• 10 Reduced inequalities

• 11 Sustainable cities and communities

• 12 Responsible consumption and production patterns

• 13 Climate action

• 14 Life below water

• 15 Life on land

• 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions

• 17 Partnerships for the goals

(Source: bund.net)