These are the challenges facing India’s most sacred river

August 21, 2019 by World Economic Forum Leave a Comment

Varanasi, India (Rubén Bagüés, Unsplash)

This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum. Author: Johnny Wood, Senior Writer, Formative Content

The Ganges is a lifeline for the people of India, spiritually and economically. On its journey from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, it supports fishermen, farmers and an abundance of wildlife.

The river and its tributaries touch the lives of roughly 500 million people. But having flowed for millennia, today it is reaching its capacity for human and industrial waste, while simultaneously being drained for agriculture and municipal use.

Here are some of the challenges the river faces.

Large schools of freshwater dolphins, known as Ganges River dolphins, were once found along the river. Now they swim in small groups or alone, and have become endangered due to pollution, dams, irrigation projects and the dredging of new shipping channels.

More than 1 billion litres of raw sewage flow into the river every day. In places, the water’s bacteria count reaches 3,000 times the limit declared safe for bathing by the World Health Organization.

Plastic and industrial waste, such as waste water from the leather tanneries that sit on the banks of the Ganges, are another cause of pollution.

But perhaps the most worrying problem facing the river is its increasing lack of water. Water for irrigation is being removed faster than the rainy season can replenish it.

The Ganges is being throttled by more than 300 dams and diversions, with many more blocking its tributaries, stopping the natural ebb and flow of the river.

Climate change is making the monsoon rains unpredictable, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events like droughts, and leaving the fishermen of the Ganges with dwindling catches.

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

© UNDP Nidaa with the chickens and ducks she raises in Gaza.

Sustaining livelihoods amid crisis in Gaza

October 12, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Nidaa, Hanaa and Hanin have different stories, but share a common thread: the determination to build something of their own and keep it going despite extraordinary challenges facing them in war-ravaged Gaza. Following the devastation of the past three years, productive capacity in Gaza has been severely […]

© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov A firefighter works on the balcony of a wrecked building in Kyiv, Ukraine.

World News in Brief: Russian attacks continue in Ukraine, Gazans shelter in flood-prone areas, keeping sight of eye health

October 9, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Thursday he was appalled by a wave of attacks that have killed civilians across Ukraine over the past four days. They include a strike on two public buses in Kramatorsk on Thursday, that left at least 30 civilians dead, […]

Ukraine: UN condemns latest attacks and calls for civilian protection

October 8, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine on Wednesday called for an end to attacks against civilians following further overnight strikes by Russian forces that reportedly killed at least 19 in the Chernihiv Region. Among the dead in Pryluky were five children, three of them babies, according to the […]

© UNICEF-SoP/Crickx People walk down a dusty road in the West Bank carrying belongings.

Israeli demolition in East Jerusalem displaces 69 Palestinians

October 7, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Sixty-nine Palestinians – more than half of them children – were displaced on Tuesday after Israeli authorities green lit the demolition of their residential building in the At Tur area of East Jerusalem, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) has reported. This is the highest number of […]

‘The clock on AI regulation is ticking’, warns UN rights chief

October 6, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The world is running out of time to put guardrails on artificial intelligence, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned Monday, as a “ruthless race” between companies and countries raises concerns about human safety and even humanity’s survival. Speaking in the UK at an AI […]

© UNOCHA/Alina Basiuk A school in Ukraine lies in ruins after being hit by a missile.

Ukraine war ‘a human rights catastrophe’ that must end, says Türk

October 5, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Human Rights The war in Ukraine is a human rights catastrophe that is “growing and intensifying by the week” and threatening an even greater disaster across the region, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Friday. Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mr. […]

UN News Massive tent settlement of displaced residents extends along the damaged Gaza coastline.

Palestinians yearn for ‘a return to normal life’, says top Middle East peace envoy

October 2, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN is continuing efforts to support Palestinians in Gaza amid major challenges to humanitarian access, reconstruction and the restoration of essential services, according to Ramiz Alakbarov, Acting UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Speaking to UN News on the margins of the UN […]

©UNIFIL/Tilak Pokharel UNIFIL personnel distribute food kits to displaced families in Saida, Lebanon (file).

Lebanon: One in five children goes to bed hungry, says UNICEF

October 1, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Four in five households in Lebanon struggle to afford basic necessities today, with children increasingly going without food, missing school and being pushed into work as conflict compounds years of economic crisis. “I wanted to buy clothes for my children, but I could not. I also wanted […]

World News in Brief: Deadly Myanmar strikes as Malaysia begins deportations, new emergency funding released, Gaza and West Bank update

September 30, 2026

The UN chief on Tuesday strongly condemned an airstrike that reportedly killed at least 50 people at a market in Myanmar’s Rakhine state and called for those responsible to be held to account. Forces from the military junta reportedly hit Kyauktaw township around midday on Monday, when the market’s more than 200 shops were busy […]

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

EU provides €61 million in humanitarian aid amidst rapidly deteriorating situation in Ethiopia

September 29, 2026

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission. Amid fears of renewed conflict in Northern Ethiopia, the European Union is providing €61 million in humanitarian funding to help the most vulnerable people in Ethiopia affected by conflict, displacement, disease outbreaks and climate-related hazards, including the impact of El Niño. The European Union […]

© UNDP A worker installs solar panels in Lanao del Sur in the Philippines.

From energy crisis to energy transition: How renewables are reshaping energy security

September 29, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The continuing conflict in the Middle East is disrupting global energy markets and pushing up fuel prices, with knock-on effects far beyond the region. For Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the crisis is also reshaping how the world understands the phrase […]

Countries adopted on Saturday a new global blueprint for tackling rapidly evolving forms of crime, as the UN’s largest gathering on crime prevention and criminal justice opened in Abu Dhabi with a call for stronger international cooperation. The Abu Dhabi Declaration was adopted by acclamation at the opening of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, bringing governments together around challenges ranging from cybercrime and fraud to the growing criminal exploitation of digital technology. The Declaration highlights an increasingly complex landscape in which services, infrastructure and technology can be exploited by criminals, including emerging trends described as “crime as a service” and “violence as a service”. At the same time, countries committed to making greater use of technology themselves, including by digitalizing justice systems and harnessing artificial intelligence in criminal justice responses. The Declaration stresses that safeguards must accompany those changes, including human oversight, transparency, due process and data protection. ‘Justice cannot be a privilege’ In a video message to the Congress, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the meeting was taking place at a time of profound change. “Justice cannot be a privilege. It must protect every person, uphold every person’s rights and leave no one behind,” said Ms. Mohamed. “This Congress is an opportunity to renew our shared commitment to justice and the rule of law, and to translate that commitment into action.” Countries are already being encouraged to put the Declaration into practice through the voluntary Pledge4Justice initiative, under which participating governments are announcing concrete, time-bound actions on crime prevention and criminal justice through 2031. The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre with its curved glass tower and surrounding buildings reflected in calm water at dusk. UNODC The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre where the 15th UN Crime Congress is set to take place. From Kyoto to Abu Dhabi Opening the Congress, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Monica Juma framed the gathering as both a response to a changing criminal landscape and a test of international cooperation. “Today, the world convenes in Abu Dhabi to reaffirm that the rule of law and criminal justice are essential to the safety and security of people and the planet,” said Ms. Juma. “At a time when confidence in multilateralism is faltering, let Abu Dhabi be a testament to international cooperation.” Five years after the previous Congress in Kyoto, Japan, Ms. Juma said the world had reached another “inflection point”, with technology and artificial intelligence advancing at extraordinary speed. The same platforms connecting billions of people can also connect criminals, she warned, while digital currencies can conceal illicit profits and digital tools can be used to deceive, manipulate and exploit. Technology, she argued, is not simply accelerating crime but changing its character, while organized criminal networks increasingly exploit weaknesses across borders and institutions. Tweet URL Protecting people as the ‘north star’ Behind those broad trends, Ms. Juma urged delegates to focus on the people most exposed to harm, including children recruited by gangs, women facing violence at home or online, people unable to obtain legal assistance and young people lured into scam networks with promises of a better future. “Protecting these people must be the measure against which we judge our efforts over the coming week,” she said. “It must be our north star.” She called for laws and institutions capable of keeping pace with changing threats, greater access to justice and legal aid, and technology that serves as “a force for good” rather than an accelerator of harm. And while welcoming the Abu Dhabi Declaration as a starting point, Ms. Juma stressed that its impact would ultimately depend on implementation. A week focused on justice Hosted by the United Arab Emirates, the Congress runs through 1 October under the theme Protecting People and Planet in the Digital Age. Some 119 countries are represented, alongside more than 40 justice ministers and other senior officials, with over 5,100 participants from governments, civil society, academia and the private sector. Plenary meetings, workshops, side events and exhibitions will run throughout the session. Organizers are also billing this as the most youth-inclusive Crime Congress yet. Young people are participating in workshops, contributing to follow-up efforts and taking part in a dedicated Youth Lab and art exhibition, following a Youth Forum held ahead of the Congress on 24 and 25 September. UNODC serves as secretariat of the Congress and will support implementation of the Abu Dhabi Declaration.

Countries adopt global blueprint to tackle fast-evolving crime in digital age

September 28, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Countries adopted on Saturday a new global blueprint for tackling rapidly evolving forms of crime, as the UN’s largest gathering on crime prevention and criminal justice opened in Abu Dhabi with a call for stronger international cooperation. The Abu Dhabi Declaration was adopted by acclamation at the […]

United Nations President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine addresses the General Debate of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session.

Palestinian existence under threat, Abbas tells UN, warning of ‘another Nakba’

September 25, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Israeli policies now threaten “the very life and existence of the Palestinian people on their homeland”, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly on Thursday, urging the world not to allow “another Nakba”. Mr. Abbas addressed the Assembly’s annual debate via pre-recorded video after his […]

© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov A rescue worker stands outside a residential building in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district that was severely damaged during a massive overnight attack on the city.

World News in Brief: ‘New intensity’ to Russian attacks on Ukraine, Yemen, Gaza and Colombia updates

September 25, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Russian armed forces have carried out repeated attacks across Ukraine over the past several days, killing and injuring civilians and damaging homes, hospitals, shops and workplaces, UN human rights monitors said on Thursday. The attacks have involved ballistic and cruise missiles, drones and guided aerial bombs. Between […]

UN Photo/Loey Felipe President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine addresses the General Debate of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session.

Zelenskyy urges stronger pressure on Russia, warns war’s impact is spreading beyond Ukraine

September 24, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday called for intensified pressure on Russia to end its war against Ukraine, arguing that Moscow continues to incur massive losses while prolonging a conflict whose consequences are increasingly being felt far beyond the battlefield. Addressing the UN General Assembly’s annual debate, […]

UN Photo/Loey Felipe President Donald Trump of the United States addresses the General Debate of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session.

Trump defends military action against Iran, Venezuela, and calls for rebrand of AI

September 23, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. US President Donald Trump used his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to defend recent military action against Iran, urging countries to maintain economic pressure on Tehran – and declaring that he now faces a choice between making a deal, or taking far more drastic […]

© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov An injured girl climbs the partially collapsed stairwell of a building in Boryspil, Ukraine, following a missile strike.

‘Nowhere is safe’: UN experts detail Ukraine war’s toll and Russia’s reach beyond its borders

September 22, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts on Monday laid out a grim picture of the human cost of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with a spotlight on civilians facing a third wartime winter as well as the intimidation of Russians who have fled abroad. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry […]

© UNICEF/Robic Upadhayay Aid workers transport supplies past a flood-damaged house in Nepal.

Nepal floods: ‘Apocalyptic’ destruction signals wider climate threat across Himalayas

September 21, 2026

This article is published in association with United Nations. The catastrophic flooding that swept away entire villages in northern Nepal could occur again in the country or elsewhere in the Himalayas due to climate change. The warning comes from Sara Netzer, regional director with UN field operations office UNOPS, which provides infrastructure, procurement and project management […]

World News in Brief: Winter aid for Gaza, West Bank; Haiti food production; migrant deaths at sea; human rights funding

September 18, 2026

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking to raise $97.5 million to protect 540,000 children and their families in Gaza and the West Bank from harsh winter conditions in the coming months. Nearly 84 per cent of Gaza’s population – more than 1.76 million people – live in overcrowded displacement sites or damaged shelters, leaving […]