Giving Compass' Take:

• The theme of this year's Water Day revolved around nature-based solutions to urgent water challenges, so UN Environment discusses some ways to make progress in that area, including more "green" infrastructure like replanting forests and restoring wetlands.

• Are we doing enough? Investments in sustainable water solutions are on the rise, but the rise in population and other global development factors will continue to be an impediment.

• Cape Town is facing a water crisis and provides a warning of what can happen if we don't address this issue now. You can read more about that here.

As more than 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and more than double that number lack access to safe sanitation, the international community is drawing attention to nature-based solutions for the water challenges of the 21st century on this World Water Day.

The theme of this year’s commemoration highlights the unique and fundamental role that nature-based solutions play in regulating the water cycle, keeping freshwater clean and improving the water security of our water cycles.

With the global population continuing to grow rapidly, demand for water is expected to increase by nearly one-third by 2050, while our freshwater ecosystems are degrading at an alarming rate ­– 64-71% of the natural wetland area worldwide has been lost due to human activity in the last century. Furthermore, water pollution has worsened in almost all rivers in Africa, Asia and Latin America since the 1990’s

Read more about the world's water challenges at UN Environment