President János Áder has opened the Budapest Water Summit today with a speech on the most endangered resource on our planet, water.
During his address, the president said that water should be the focal issue in political thinking and action in the world today.
Without sufficient water there will not be enough food, no further industrial development or sustainable urbanisation, President Áder said, adding that “water is also a safeguard for peace and security”.
President Áder warned that the global population growth and increased demand for food will increase water consumption by 30 percent by 2030. The industry will need at least 50 percent more water by 2050, he added.
He also said that finding solutions to water management problems was crucial for meeting sustainable development goals. He urged that the best solutions should be collated and adopted in other countries. More and more experimental programs must be launched with appropriate financing in place, he said.
MTI reports that agriculture accounts for 70 percent of global water consumption, but only 15 percent of the planet’s arable land has irrigation farming. That area, however, produces 40 percent of the total yield, the president noted.
Concerning climate change, President Áder said that the resulting water shortage impacts food production, such as grain or corn, which could be impaired by as much as 50 percent. Water shortage may also lead to the decline of urban cultures, he added.
Quoting David Attenborough, Hungary's president called for radical changes in society, in the economy and in politics in the interest of life on Earth in the future.