Starting last year, in accordance with a United Nations decision, August 27 is observed annually as a new environmental observance—World Lakes Day.
Sea-news.az reports that this day was established by a resolution of the UN General Assembly on December 12, 2024, and is dedicated to lakes, which are remarkable aquatic ecosystems of the Earth.
According to the founders of the observance, this international date is not only another opportunity to draw public attention to the richness and beauty of nature and the environment, but also a means to mobilize efforts for the protection of lakes and the promotion of the sustainable use of their resources.
As many know from geography, a lake is a natural body of water formed in a land-based natural depression with no direct connection to the ocean. Its water exchange is maintained through inflowing rivers, streams, and underground water sources. Lakes are distributed across nearly all terrestrial regions. While the majority are freshwater, saline lakes also exist. It is reported that there are more than 117 million such water bodies on the planet, covering approximately 4 percent of the Earth’s surface.
Lakes are often called the “source of life” for the planet, as they represent a vital natural resource serving as a primary source of accessible freshwater for daily human needs, agriculture, and industry. Although the bulk of the Earth’s freshwater is frozen in glaciers, approximately 90 percent of global surface freshwater reserves are concentrated precisely in lakes. Furthermore, lakes provide habitats for numerous species of fish, plants, and wildlife, helping to preserve biodiversity, influence the climate, lower ambient temperatures, absorb floodwaters, and sequester carbon.
