Half of the world's food production is at risk in the next 25 years due to the current global water crisis, the Guardian reported. Unless immediate action is taken, climate experts and researchers are warning of dire food circumstances in the near future.
What's happening?
A new report has revealed the grave reality of the global water crisis and its impact on food security.
According to an analysis by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, half of the world's population currently deals with water scarcity. What's worse, that number is expected to rise as a result of the climate crisis.
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As the world's waterways continue to face "unprecedented stress," the demand for water is expected to surpass the global supply. Per the new report, by the end of the decade, the demand for freshwater will overtake the supply by 40%.
The report also highlighted how countries around the world need to rethink how they conserve and use water resources.
"The Chinese economy depends on sustainable forest management in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and the Baltic region," Professor Johan Rockström, the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, told the Guardian. "You can make the same case for Brazil supplying fresh water to Argentina. This interconnectedness just shows that we have to place fresh water in the global economy as a global common good."
Why is the new report important?
The new report underscores the severity of the current global water crisis. It also addresses how the climate crisis is exacerbating the strain on the world's waterways. As global temperatures continue to rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the planet's moisture and water security decreases.
What's being done about global water scarcity?
In 2022, the Global Commission on the Economics of Water was created by the Netherlands to establish an in-depth look at the world's water systems and their management. The group drew upon the work of leading scientists and economists in the field, creating the biggest global study on water remediation strategies for policymakers.
Researchers hope policymakers take the necessary actions addressed in the report to better safeguard the world's water supply.
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