Global water crisis is expanding – UN

The volume of renewable freshwater resources per capita continues to decline and has decreased by a further 7 percent over the past decade. This was stated in a new analytical review of the AQUASTAT database published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The report refers to freshwater resources that are naturally replenished each year through the hydrological cycle. According to FAO data, renewable freshwater resources per capita in Central Asia have declined by 12 percent since 2015, one of the highest rates recorded globally.

To assess the level of water scarcity, FAO experts use the indicator known as “water stress,” which reflects the ratio of water withdrawals to available water resources. Central Asia faces particularly high water stress due to its water-use structure: 82 percent of all water withdrawn in the region is used for agriculture.

At the same time, FAO notes some positive developments in water resource management in Central Asia. In particular, total freshwater withdrawals have decreased by 9 percent, from 123 billion cubic meters in 2015 to 112 billion cubic meters in 2022. Over the same period, the level of water stress fell from 76.8 percent to 70.2 percent, representing a reduction of 8.6 percentage points.

According to the data, pressure on freshwater resources is increasing across all regions of the world. In 2022, the global average water stress level stood at 18 percent, but in some regions it was significantly higher:

• North Africa – 121 percent;
• South Asia – 76.7 percent;
• Central Asia – 70.2 percent;
• Western Asia – 65.1 percent.

A high level of water stress indicates that annual water withdrawals are approaching or exceeding the amount of water naturally replenished, posing serious risks to the sustainability of water ecosystems and economies.

The report notes that agriculture remains the largest consumer of water worldwide. At the same time, in Europe and North America, a relatively smaller share of water, 34 percent, is used in agriculture, while these regions account for nearly half, 47 percent, of global industrial water consumption.

According to FAO assessments, some regions, including Central Asia, have made progress in improving water-use efficiency. However, persistently high water stress levels in most arid regions indicate the need for long-term adaptation measures and sustainable water management.

It is worth noting that earlier reports warned that Central Asia is rapidly approaching a critical water scarcity threshold, and that major cities in the region could face crises similar to those currently observed in Tehran, the capital of Iran.