Kathmandu. World Lakes Day is being celebrated in various countries of the world today with the aim of protecting, restoring and sustainably managing ecosystems.

This day has been celebrated since this year at the call of the United Nations. The resolution to celebrate World Lakes Day was passed in last year’s General Assembly.

The main objective of this day is to educate organizations affiliated with the United Nations system, other international regional and subregional organizations, civil society, the private sector, environmental and educational activists about the importance of lakes and to protect them.

According to the United Nations, there are more than 117 million lakes on Earth. They occupy four percent of the world’s land area. The relevance of celebrating this day has increased in the context of environmental damage due to pollution and ‘methane’ emissions, as well as the decline in fresh water resources.

Lakes, which are an important source of drinking water for humans and production for agriculture and industry, have given life to countless species of fish, plants and wildlife to maintain biodiversity.

With the increasing global warming, lakes are drying up and the rate of ice melting is also increasing, the protection of lakes is considered important. (RSS)