Global water crisis intensifies UN Sounds Alarm

Availability of renewable water resources per capita continues to decline worldwide, dropping by an additional 7 percent over the past decade, according to a new review of the AQUASTAT database published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The report focuses on freshwater reserves that are naturally replenished each year through the hydrological cycle. FAO data show that since 2015, Central Asia has lost 12 percent of its per capita renewable water resources, one of the highest declines globally.

To measure water scarcity, FAO experts use the “water stress” indicator, which compares water withdrawals to available supplies. In Central Asia, high water stress is largely driven by agricultural use, which accounts for 82 percent of all water withdrawals in the region.

Despite this, FAO notes positive developments. Total freshwater withdrawals in Central Asia fell by 9 percent, from 123 million cubic meters in 2015 to 112 million cubic meters in 2022. Over the same period, the region’s water stress level decreased from 76.8 percent to 70.2 percent, indicating an 8.6 percent reduction in pressure on water resources.

The AQUASTAT review highlights that pressure on freshwater resources is rising worldwide. In 2022, the global average water stress level reached 18 percent, but some regions face far higher levels:

• North Africa — 121%

• South Asia — 76.7%

• Central Asia — 70.2%

• Western Asia — 65.1%

High water stress indicates that annual withdrawals are approaching or exceeding natural replenishment, posing serious risks to the sustainability of water ecosystems and economic development.

FAO emphasises that agriculture remains the world’s largest water consumer. While Europe and North America use only 34 percent of their water resources for agriculture, these regions account for nearly half of global industrial water withdrawals, at 47 percent.

Despite some gains in water-use efficiency, including in Central Asia, the persistently high water stress in arid regions underscores the urgent need for long-term adaptation and sustainable water management.

By Jeyhun Aghazada