Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Ahmed lives in Iraq, where the hardship of life includes not only conflict but a lack of access to safe drinking water and blocked, leaking toilets that spread diseases. However, despite an insecure environment, funding from AusAID and World Vision has rebuilt water and sanitation systems in 74 schools in northern Iraq. Like Ahmed, more than 48,000 students and teachers across northern Iraq are now able to attend schools where there is clean water and basic sanitation.

Target: To reduce by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

In 1990, only 71% of the population in developing countries had sustainable access to safe drinking water. In 2002, the proportion had increased to 79%. The most impressive improvements were made in southern Asia – especially India.

However access to safe drinking remains a critical challenge for 1.1 billion people, who have to spend significant amounts of time collecting water each day. Water-borne diseases continue to affect the health of these people – especially young children.

An estimated 2.6 billion people, or half the developing world, continues to lack decent toilets and basic sanitation. Health problems and the spread of diseases are greatest in rural areas and large urban slums.

Aid and development organisations like World Vision seek to ensure environmental sustainability in developing countries by:

1. helping farmers learn to improve their soil conditions and reduce soil erosion by planting tree seedlings.
2. building wells, dams and irrigation channels to improve water supplies for agriculture and preventing water-borne diseases.
3. helping communities use more efficient stoves to save fuel and protect forests.