Context: In a new data from the World Resources Institute (WRI) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas reveals that 25 countries, representing a quarter of the global population, face extreme water stress, consuming over 80% of their renewable water supply for various purposes. These nations are at risk of water scarcity due to even short-term droughts.

About the World Resources Institute 

• The World Resources Institute is a global research non-profit organization established in 1982.

• It uses research-based approaches to work globally and in focus countries to meet people’s essential needs; to protect and restore nature; and to stabilize the climate and build more resilient communities. 

• It aims to fundamentally transform the way the world produces food, uses energy and designs its cities to create a better future for all. 

• Aqueduct's global water risk mapping tool helps companies, investors, governments, and other users understand where and how water risks and opportunities are emerging worldwide.

What is Water Stress? 

• Water stress is the ratio of water demand to renewable supply, measuring the competition over local water resources.

• A country facing “extreme water stress” means it is using at least 80% of its available supply, “high water stress” means it is withdrawing 40% of its supply.

Highly Water Stressed Countries

• 25 countries — housing one-quarter of the global population — face extremely high water stress each year, regularly using up almost their entire available water supply. 

• Even a short-term drought puts these places in danger of running out of water and sometimes prompts governments to shut off the taps.

• At least 50% of the world’s population — around 4 billion people — live under highly water-stressed conditions for at least one month of the year.

• The five most water-stressed countries are Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and Qatar. 

• The most water-stressed regions are the Middle East and North Africa, where 83% of the population is exposed to extremely high water stress, and South Asia, where 74% is exposed.

Causes of Global Water Stress

• Across the world, demand for water is exceeding what’s available. Globally, demand has more than doubled since 1960.

• Increased water demand is often the result of growing populations and industries like irrigated agriculture, livestock, energy production and manufacturing. 

• Meanwhile, lack of investment in water infrastructure, unsustainable water use policies or increased variability due to climate change can all affect the available water supply.

Concerns

• By 2050, an additional 1 billion people are expected to live with extremely high water stress, even if the world limits global temperature rise to 1.3 degrees C to 2.4 degrees C by 2100.

• Global water demand is projected to increase by 20% to 25% by 2050.

• For the Middle East and North Africa, this means 100% of the population will live with extremely high water stress by 2050. 

• The biggest change in water demand between now and 2050 will occur in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• By 2050, water demand in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to skyrocket by 163% — 4 times the rate of change compared to Latin America.

• According to data from Aqueduct, 31% of global GDP will be exposed to high water stress by 2050, up from 24% of global GDP in 2010. 

• Just four countries — India, Mexico, Egypt and Turkey — account for over half of the exposed GDP in 2050.

• Water shortages can lead to industrial interruptions, energy outages and agricultural production losses.

• Failing to implement better water management policies could result in GDP losses in India, China and Central Asia of 7% to 12%, and 6% by 2050.

• Global food security is also at risk. 

• Already, 60% of the world’s irrigated agriculture faces extremely high water stress — particularly sugarcane, wheat, rice and maize. 

• By 2050, the world will need to produce 56% more food calories than it did in 2010 — all while dealing with increasing water stress as well as climate-driven disasters like droughts and floods.

Key Suggestions

• Water stress doesn’t necessarily lead to water crisis. For example, places like Singapore and the U.S. city of Las Vegas prove that societies can thrive even under the most water-scarce conditions by employing techniques like removing water-thirsty grass, desalination, and wastewater treatment and reuse.

• Solving global water challenges will cost the world about 1% of GDP, or 29 cents per person, per day from 2015 to 2030. 

• Policy Initiatives: Countries can improve their water governance, incentivize water efficiency in agriculture, adopt integrated water resource management, and enhance water infrastructure through nature-based solutions and green infrastructure. 

• Policymakers in water-stressed countries should prioritize water-prudent energy sources like solar and wind to avoid power shutdowns caused by water shortages.

• Strategic Debt Relief Programs: International development banks and other lenders should consider strategic debt relief programs, like debt relief in return for a commitment to invest in biodiversity or resilient infrastructure, such as mangrove restoration or wetland conservation. 

• These nature-based solutions can achieve positive climate and water outcomes in countries unable to afford improved water management on their own.

• Cities should develop urban water resilience action plans, learning from the group of six African cities already piloting such approaches. 

• Farmers should use more efficient water measures, such as switching to water-efficient crops or using methods like sprinkler or drip irrigation versus flooding fields.

• Companies should set science-based water targets, which are in line with what the science says is “enough” to stay within Earth’s limits and meet society’s needs, learning from a growing number of businesses that have already set such targets.