Withdrawals of fresh water from rivers and lakes have quadrupled in the last 50 years. In 1994, at least 220 million urban dwellers lacked steady access to safe drinking water. Fully 90 percent of sewage in developing countries goes untreated. The report highlights many innovative and effective approaches to environmental management undertaken by cities and communities around the world. It identifies lessons from these initiatives for example, if local and national governments, non-governmental organizations, communities, business, international donors, and other external support agencies share responsibility, they have a better chance of solving urban environmental problems.
Cities can serve as centers of employment, growth, and innovation, the report emphasizes.
Improving the urban environment and quality of life requires action on a number of fronts including alleviating poverty, creating productive employment, improving resource management, increasing women's participation, and building capacity for urban governance and management. These actions are often promoted jointly by UNDP, UNEP, the World Bank, and other partners within and outside the UN system. World Resources 1996-97 reflects the World Resources Institute's ongoing collaboration with UNEP and UNDP, as well as a new partnership with the World Bank. Published in seven languages, the report is distributed worldwide. Complimentary copies are available for journalists.