With access to freshwater growing scarcer around the world due to climate change and mismanagement, reliance on groundwater sources is becoming more acute in many countries. In places where groundwater is heavily used, such as across much of the MENA region, available volumes are tapering off mainly due to years of over-extraction to meet ever-growing demand. The strain on water systems will peak by 2050 when the global population is expected to reach between 9.4 and 10.2 billion, a 22-34% increase.
A new study by the University of Colorado Boulder published on “One Earth” cites water scarcity as the top threat to food security in the next 20 years. “Multiple events occurring at the same time compound the problem,” the study noted, citing droughts, floods, heat waves, pest outbreaks, diseases, and financial and political conflicts. Over
The fourth Asia-Pacific Water Summit is the first in a series of events slated for the second quarter of 2022 that seek to promote focus on water and sustainable water governance in preparation for the UN 2023 Water Conference. The Conference is expected to help “create a consistent drumbeat” to raise attention to water by offering a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to catalyze action and build partnerships to achieve international water goals, including SDG 6 and its targets.