Billions of people around the world lack adequate access to one of the essential elements of life: clean water. Despite efforts by governments and aid organizations to improve access in water-stressed regions, the problem is projected to worsen due to global warming and population growth. Water stress can differ dramatically from one place to another, causing wide-reaching damage, including impacts on public health, economic development, and global trade. As pressures mount, countries are urged to implement more sustainable practices and enhance international cooperation in water management.
Water Stress Meaning
Water stress occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a specific period or when poor quality restricts its use. This phenomenon leads to the deterioration of freshwater resources in terms of both quantity and quality. For instance, water stress can manifest as aquifer over-exploitation, dry rivers, and other detrimental effects on water availability. Furthermore, it can result in water quality issues such as eutrophication, organic matter pollution, and saline intrusion.
Understanding Water Stress Levels
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Indicator 6.4.2, measure the level of water stress as the ratio of freshwater withdrawal to available freshwater resources. This indicator reflects the total amount of freshwater withdrawn by all economic activities compared to the total renewable freshwater resources available, taking into account environmental flow requirements.
Specifically, Target 6.4 proposes that by 2030, countries should substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity. The Aqueduct tool from the World Resources Institute provides a ranking of the most water-stressed countries projected for 2030 and 2040. The eleven most water-stressed countries by 2040 are expected to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Lebanon. Additionally, countries like Chile, Estonia, Namibia, and Botswana may experience a significant increase in water stress by 2040.
What Do “Water Scarcity”, “Water Stress”, and “Water Risk” Actually Mean?
To effectively address water-related challenges, it is crucial to distinguish between terms such as water scarcity, water stress, and water risk. Over the past few years, the Pacific Institute’s Corporate Sustainability Program, in its role with the UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate, has been developing the Corporate Water Disclosure Guidelines. These guidelines provide a common framework for how companies can report water-related information to stakeholders meaningfully.
One challenge in achieving harmonized water reporting is the lack of a shared understanding of key water-related terms. Many companies, stakeholders, and corporate water assessment tools use the terms “water scarcity,” “water stress,” and “water risk” interchangeably, leading to confusion. For example, some companies report water use reductions specifically in areas of water “scarcity,” while others do so in areas of water “stress.”
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Definitions of Key Terms
Water Scarcity: This term refers to the volumetric abundance or lack of water supply, typically calculated as a ratio of human water consumption to available water supply in a given area. Water scarcity is a physical, objective reality that can be measured consistently across regions and over time.
Water Stress: In contrast, water stress refers to the ability—or lack thereof—to meet human and ecological demand for water. Compared to scarcity, water stress is a broader concept that considers several physical aspects related to water resources, including water scarcity, water quality, environmental flows, and accessibility.
Water Risk: This term refers to the probability of an entity experiencing a deleterious water-related event. Water risk is perceived differently across various sectors and organizations, and thus it is defined and interpreted in diverse ways. Conditions such as water scarcity, pollution, poor governance, inadequate infrastructure, and climate change can create risks for multiple sectors and organizations simultaneously.
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The Relationship Among These Terms
Water scarcity serves as an indicator of a problem with water availability, characterized by a high ratio of water consumption to water resources in a given area. Water availability, water quality, and water accessibility are the three components that comprise water stress. As such, water scarcity and additional indicators (e.g., biological oxygen demand, access to drinking water) can be used to assess water stress. Both scarcity and stress directly inform one’s understanding of risks due to basin conditions. Organizations cannot gain robust insight into water risk without a firm understanding of the various components of water stress.
How is climate change affecting water stress?
UN experts warn that a 1°C increase in global average temperature will lead to a 20% reduction in renewable water resources. This global warming trend is expected to heighten water stress, particularly in subtropical regions such as Australia, the southern United States, and North Africa, which will face more frequent and prolonged droughts. When rainfall does occur, it is likely to be more intense, leading to further complications.
Agriculture will be particularly affected, as unpredictable rainfall and increased evaporation from rising temperatures threaten crop yields. Additionally, erratic weather patterns may result in floods that can destroy crops and overwhelm storage systems. A 2018 report indicated that limiting warming to 1.5°C could significantly reduce water stress in regions like the Mediterranean. However, many experts argue that the Paris Agreement may not fully prevent the most severe impacts of climate change on water resources.
The Effects of Water Stress
The increasing trend of global water stress over the last twenty years reflects rising stress in several areas of the world, according to the FAO. By 2025, it is estimated that 1.9 billion people will live in countries or regions facing absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be in a situation of water stress.
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Public Health Consequences
Prolonged water stress can have devastating effects on public health and economic development. More than two billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, and nearly double that number—more than half the world’s population—are without adequate sanitation services. These deprivations can lead to the transmission of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, polio, hepatitis A, and diarrhea.
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Economic Development and Food Security
Water scarcity also threatens agricultural productivity, impacting food security. Communities facing water stress may experience both acute and chronic hunger, with children being particularly vulnerable to malnutrition-related conditions. Food-insecure communities are at risk of stunting and wasting, as well as chronic illnesses due to poor diet, such as diabetes.
Conclusion
Water stress is a complex issue that affects billions of people worldwide. Understanding the meaning of water stress and its implications is crucial for securing a sustainable water future. As global populations grow and climate change intensifies, the challenge of ensuring access to clean water will only become more pressing. It is imperative that governments, organizations, and individuals work together to implement effective solutions to combat water stress and promote a healthier, more sustainable world.
References
1.Water Stress: A Global Problem That’s Getting Worse
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/water-stress-global-problem-thats-getting-worse
2.water stress
3.Defining Water Scarcity, Water Stress, and Water Risk
4- Water scarcity
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_scarcity
