OWSA Staff

With 2026 designated the Year of Water, Blue Davos seeks to shift perceptions – elevating water from a peripheral issue to a core developmental and economic priority.

The NCCEBL survey found that over 80 per cent of rescued workers did not have a First Information Report (FIR) registered, a prerequisite to hold exploiters legally accountable. Moreover, 63 per cent did not receive interim financial assistance.

Over 30 exporters, nine importers and around 50 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) from Assam participated in the conclave, reflecting growing interest in the region’s export potential.

Crucially, medium-scale irrigation proposals aimed at bolstering water access in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region were discussed alongside measures designed to enhance water regimes for both human use and wildlife needs, particularly for reptiles like gharial crocodiles.

The Employment and Social Trends 2026 flagship report highlights deepening structural weaknesses in labour markets that threaten progress on sustainable development and social equity.

Though illegal for nearly five decades, bonded labour in India remains a stark and shameful reality for countless men, women, and children.

The study, based on 26 environmental, technological, socio-economic and institutional indicators, concludes that resilience to climate stress varies sharply across regions – demanding tailored interventions rather than one-size-fits-all policymaking.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed that 2025 ranked as one of the three warmest years on record, underscoring the relentless grip of human-driven climate change even amid natural cooling influences.