Keynote, Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Climate Action (SDG 13)
Achieving SDG 6 amid climate change: water sustainability and clean water access in Africa Kessy Fidel Kilulya University of Dar es Salaam; Department of Chemistry, PO Box 35061, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: kefidel@gmail.com Despite the significant global commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), access to clean and safe water remains a distant reality to many parts of the world. In 2022, for instance, 2.2 billion people worldwide lacked safely managed drinking water, while 3.5 billion lived without safely managed sanitation services. In Africa, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the challenge is even more acute. Between 2015 and 2024, access to clean water in SSA has remained critically low, with more than half of the region’s population still lacking access to safe drinking water. In 2022, only 31% of the SSA population had access to safely managed drinking water, an increase of just 1% from 2020. Although 79% of monitored water sources in SSA were found to have good ambient water quality in 2023 (8% increase from 2020), the region continues to face severe water quality and availability challenges. Climate change, rapid urbanization and industrial development exacerbate water supply issues. Furthermore, in addition to traditional pollutants the growing presence of emerging contaminants adds new layers of complexity to water management. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the challenges hindering access to clean water, with a focus on the impacts of climate change and the threat posed by emerging contaminants. It also outlines strategies needed to accelerate progress toward ensuring sustainable access to clean water amid rising impacts of climate change. Key words: Clean water, climate change, water sustainability, water quality, emerging contaminants References 1. United Nations, The Sustainable Development Goals Report, 2024 2. United Nations, The Sustainable Development Goals Report, Special edition, 2023 3. Megersa Olumana Dinka, Joan Nyika, SDG 6 progress analyses in sub‑Saharan Africa from 2015–2020: The need for urgent action, Discover Water, 2024, DOI: 10.1007/s43832-024-00099-5 4. UN-Water, 2024. Summary Brief: Mid-term status of SDG 6 global indicators and acceleration needs. Version: August 2024. Geneva, Switzerland 5. Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000–2022: special focus on gender. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO), 2023. 6. United Nations Environment Programme (2024). Progress on Ambient Water Quality: Mid-term status of SDG Indicator 6.3.2 and acceleration needs, with a special focus on Health, Nairobi. 7. United Nations Environment Programme (2024). Progress on Water-related Ecosystems. Mid-term status of SDG Indicator 6.6.1 and acceleration needs, with a special focus on Biodiversity.
© The Author(s), 2025
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