One Health at the Osaka Expo: Health has joined the water family

The World Water Council proudly reaffirmed its support for the “One Health” initiative at the Universal Exposition in Osaka, Japan, underlining the vital connections between water, health, and sustainability.

One Health, developed by the World Health Organization, is an integrated approach that links human, animal, and ecosystem health. It emphasizes that protecting biodiversity and ecosystems is essential to improving human well-being. Health cannot be sustained in isolation—clean water, healthy ecosystems, and resilient societies are deeply interdependent.

The Council highlights the parallel concept of “One Water”, grounded in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). This holistic approach views all water—surface, groundwater, wastewater, and stormwater—as one system that must be managed sustainably. Like One Health, it stresses that water must be preserved and shared equitably among people, animals, and ecosystems.

The synergy between the two concepts is clear: water is both a potential vector of disease and a powerful shield against illness. Ensuring safe, sufficient water prevents the spread of pandemics, enables hygiene, and secures the foundations of global health security.

To reinforce this connection, the Council’s Task Force on Water Quality and Health has launched the One Water–One Health project, led by Prof. Ahmet Saatçi and Prof. Bilge Kocamemi. This initiative highlights wastewater and environmental surveillance as powerful tools for early detection of diseases and antimicrobial resistance. In line with the EU’s launch of GLOWACON, the Council advocates for the democratization of such practices to improve preparedness worldwide.

At the Osaka Expo, the World Water Council participated in several high-level events, from the Glowacon Pavilion to discussions at the Turkish and Portuguese pavilions. President Loïc Fauchon emphasized the urgent need to connect water and health within global governance frameworks, underlining that prevention is more effective and economical than curation.

Looking ahead to the 11th World Water Forum in Riyadh (2027), One Health will be a key sub-theme under Water for Humans and Nature. The Council calls for breaking down silos between sectors and advancing an “Alliance of the Five Fingers”—water, health, food, nature, and energy.

The message is clear: Water security and health, food and ecological security are inseparable. By embracing One Water–One Health, we protect lives, ecosystems, and our shared future.