Loss of Water Resources
The authors of the study note that the terms "water stress" and "water crisis" do not reflect the real situation in many regions.According to the lead author, Director of the Institute for Water, Environment and Health at the United Nations University, Kaveh Madani, "the report raises an important issue: many regions are already exceeding their hydrological capacities, and numerous key water systems have effectively gone bankrupt."
The report also states that countries are not only depleting their water resources—rivers, soil, and snow reserves—but also exhausting long-term sources of water, such as glaciers and wetlands.
This leads to serious consequences, including land subsidence in river deltas and coastal areas, the disappearance of lakes and wetlands, as well as loss of biodiversity.
International Cooperation and Water Conference
The report was published ahead of a high-level meeting in Dakar, Senegal, scheduled for January 26-27, which will serve as a preparation for the UN Water Conference 2026, planned for December 2-4, 2026, in the United Arab Emirates.Although not all river basins and countries are in a state of water bankruptcy, Madani emphasized that many important water systems have already reached this level.
“These systems are interconnected through trade, climate change, and geopolitical factors, which fundamentally alters the global risk landscape,” he noted, highlighting the importance of international cooperation.
Figures on Water Bankruptcy
The report relies on global data and recent studies, showing alarming trends, most of which are driven by human activity:- Since the early 1990s, 50% of the world's large lakes have lost water volume;
- Over the past half-century, the area of lost natural wetlands has reached 410 million hectares (comparable to the territory of the European Union);
- Since 1970, more than 30% of the global mass of glaciers has been lost; in the coming decades, many mountain ranges may lose functional glaciers;
- Dozens of major rivers no longer reach the sea during certain seasons;
- 4 billion people face acute water shortages for at least one month each year;
- 3 billion people live in regions with diminishing water supplies, where more than 50% of the world's food is produced;
- 1.8 billion people faced drought conditions in 2022-2023.
A New Approach to Water Resources
“Agriculture accounts for the overwhelming share of freshwater consumption, and food systems are interconnected through trade and pricing,” explains Madani.“Water scarcity in one region can affect global markets and food security in others,” he added.
The Need for Changes in Water Policy
The report emphasizes that water bankruptcy is not only a hydrological issue but also a matter of equity with deep social and political implications, requiring attention at the level of government structures and international cooperation.“We cannot restore the lost glaciers... But we can prevent further loss of natural capital and adapt institutions to new conditions,” concluded Madani.Upcoming events, including the UN Water Conference 2026, open opportunities for advancing this agenda.
“By acknowledging the reality of water bankruptcy, we can make difficult decisions that will protect people, the economy, and ecosystems. The longer we delay, the deeper the water scarcity problem will become,” Madani concluded.
Photo on the main page is illustrative: inbusiness.kz.
