Declare World Water Day

March 22, 2017, as World Water Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, World Water Day is held on March 22nd each year to focus the world's attention to the importance of freshwater and the sustainable management of freshwater resources; and WHEREAS, Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary requirements for an active and healthy life; and WHEREAS, People who have better access to water tend to have better levels of nourishment; water scarcity is a major cause of famine and malnutrition, especially in parts of the world where people rely on local agriculture for food and income; and WHEREAS, More than seven billion people feed on the planet, with another two billion expected by 2050, meaning that 70 percent more food will be needed, up to 100 percent more food in many developing countries around the world; and WHEREAS, Water scarcity affects every continent and more than 40 percent of people on the planet; by 2025, approximately 1.8 billion people will live in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, limiting the ability of farmers to produce enough food to eat or earn a living; and WHEREAS, Climate change is expected to reduce the amount of rainwater available for agriculture, including for feed and fodder for livestock, as well as forests and aquaculture; severe reductions in river runoff and aquifer recharge are expected in the Mediterranean Basin and the semi-arid areas of the Americas, Australia and Southern Africa, affecting water availability and quality in regions that currently experience water scarcity; and WHEREAS, The dangers of climate change on water and food security can be mitigated by improved water harvesting and retention, supplementary irrigation for rain-fed crops, highly efficient irrigation systems and other best practices; and WHEREAS, Continued population and economic growth is leading to increased water demand to cities and industries, which grow at rates significantly faster than those of agriculture; increased competition by cities and industries often translates into a loss of water access for poor and vulnerable groups in developing countries around the world; and WHEREAS, Future production of food and agricultural products will be impossible without greater efforts of producing more food with less water; and WHEREAS, Maximizing the yield per unit of land must give way to the yield per unit of water used; and WHEREAS, Water pollution is a primary cause of reduced water availability which impacts the environment and human health; water pollution is often caused by inappropriate industrial and agricultural practices in addition to urban waste production; and WHEREAS, Modern, integrated approaches to food production, such as conservation agriculture, have the potential to substantially reduce water pollution; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of this serious human health and environmental issue, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, state, national and international levels to promote water conservation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 22, 2017, as World Water Day in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.