Water is essential for agricultural production and food security. It is the lifeblood of ecosystems, including forests, lakes and wetlands, on which our present and future food and nutritional security depends. Yet, our freshwater resources are dwindling at an alarming rate. Growing water scarcity is now one of the leading challenges for sustainable development. This challenge will become more pressing as the world's population continues to grow, their living standards increase, diets change and the effects of climate change intensify.
By 2030 global water demand could be 40% more than the current supply, and half the world could be living in areas with severe water stress by 2030. Food and water supply will be about managing scarcity — a problem that will keep worsening due to climate change.
The image below from Statista shows the global projected ratio of water withdrawals to water supply (water stress level) in 2040. "When a territory withdraws 25 per cent or more of its renewable freshwater resources it is said to be ‘water-stressed’." Globally in 2018, just 18.4 percent of total renewable freshwater resources were being withdrawn. Regionally though, there are already places experiencing serious issues. Northern Africa has critical water stress levels, while Central and Southern Asia were classed as having high water stress. On the other end of the scale, 31 percent of the global population remained at the “no stress” level.
As projections from the World Resources Institute for 2040 show though, the problem is only due to become more widespread. Reporting by the Economist Intelligence Unit states: "Quickening urbanization, population growth, climate change and economic development are placing pressure on water systems.".
According to the outlook, 44 countries face either “extremely high” or “high” water-stress levels by 2040
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