The world enters an era of “global water bankruptcy”

Water resources around the world are rapidly declining, according to a new report released on January 20 by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH).

The report states that over the past 50 years, 410 million hectares of wetlands worldwide have been lost. Major lakes are shrinking, and some rivers no longer reach the sea during certain periods of the year. Nearly 70 percent of global groundwater reserves are in a state of sustained decline.

Climate change is further exacerbating the situation. Since 1970, more than 30 percent of the world’s glaciers have disappeared, leading to a reduction in water sources relied upon by hundreds of millions of people. Excessive water use, pollution, and disruption of ecological balance have pushed many water systems to the brink of irreversible damage.

According to projections, by 2030:

• approximately 2 billion people will continue to live without access to safely managed drinking water;
• 700 million people may be forced to leave their homes due to water scarcity;
• global demand for freshwater will exceed available supply by 40 percent.

The report also warns that by 2030, water shortages in Uzbekistan could reach 7 billion cubic meters, potentially placing the country among the world’s 33 water-stressed nations.

In addition, the authors propose replacing the term “water crisis” with the more accurate description “water bankruptcy” to better reflect the severity of the situation.

Javohir Alikulov