Extreme Water Stress Threatens Quarter of World’s Population

By Staff, Agencies

Nearly a quarter of the world’s population lives in 17 countries facing extremely high water stress, close to “day zero” conditions when the taps run dry, according to a report released Tuesday.

The World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas ranked water stress, drought risk and riverine flood risk using a peer-reviewed methodology.

“Agriculture, industry, and municipalities are drinking up to 80 percent of available surface and groundwater in an average year” in the 17 worst affected countries, WRI said.

“When demand rivals supply, even small dry shocks - which are set to increase due to climate change - can produce dire consequences” such as the recent crises in Cape Town, Sao Paulo and Chennai.

“Water stress is the biggest crisis no one is talking about. Its consequences are in plain sight in the form of food insecurity, conflict and migration, and financial instability,” said Andrew Steer, CEO of WRI.

The Middle East and North Africa are home to 12 of the most stressed countries, while India, which is ranked 13, has more than three times the population of the other 16 in its category combined.