Today, August 27, 2025, marks the birth of the first World Lakes Day (World Lake Day), an event that invites us to stop and reflect on the value of these extraordinary ecosystems. Lakes are more than just evocative landscapes: they represent a vital resource for human survival, the protection of biodiversity, and the fight against climate change.
Accessible water: lakes essential for humanity
With over 117 million bodies of water scattered across the planet, they occupy approximately 4% of the earth's land surface. Although most freshwater is found in glaciers or underground, lakes hold nearly 90% of the immediately accessible freshwater. Despite their strategic importance, however, these ecosystems are experiencing an unprecedented crisis.
A celebration established by the UN
The day of August 27, 2025, was officially established by the United Nations with resolution A/RES/79/142. The goal is clear: to raise collective awareness, promote environmental education and encourage concrete actions to protect the lakes. These bodies of water are true environmental sentinels. They regulate the local microclimates, absorb excess water during floods, store carbon and contribute to stabilize temperatures. Furthermore, the lakes are home to a biodiversity very rich: fish, aquatic plants and migratory birds find their natural habitat in them.
Alarming numbers for lake life
Yet, the impact of human activities is putting this fragile balance at risk. Intensive agriculture, overexploitation of water resources, and the spillage of fertilizers and contaminants are transforming lakes into vulnerable and degraded environments. Added to this is the destabilizing effect of climate crisisUN estimates speak clearly: in the last fifty years, freshwater biodiversity has decreased by 85%. If no decisive action is taken, a 2050% decline in the ecological value of lakes is expected by 20, accompanied by an increase in levels of pollution and an increase in emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. The proclamation of the World Lake Day It's a strong signal: governments, businesses, and citizens are called to work together to reverse the trend. The day will be marked by awareness-raising initiatives, educational programs, and international cooperation projects aimed at monitoring, protecting, and restoring lake basins.
The most famous Italian lakes
Looking at Italy, the Bel Paese boasts some of the largest and most iconic lakes in Europe. The record goes to Lake Garda, which with its 370 square kilometers extends across three regions and represents an international tourist attraction. Immediately after we find the Lake Maggiore, shared with Switzerland, famous for the Borromean Islands and its historic gardens, and the Lake Como, appreciated throughout the world for its elegant landscapes and the villages overlooking its banks.
In central Italy the Trasimeno lake, the largest in the territory, while further north the Iseo lake It offers unique scenery thanks to Montisola, the largest inhabited lake island in Europe. These large lakes, in addition to their scenic beauty, play a crucial role in the country's economy, environment, and biodiversity. Protecting them is everyone's duty.
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