A UNITED Nations (UN) report released on Tuesday warned that the world is entering an era of “global water bankruptcy”.
The report, issued by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, said chronic groundwater depletion, water overallocation, land degradation, deforestation and pollution, all compounded by climate change, are pushing many regions beyond their hydrological limits.
It noted that commonly used terms such as “water stress” and “water crisis” no longer reflect reality in many areas, as water systems have moved into a post-crisis stage marked by irreversible losses and an inability to recover to historical levels. “This report tells an uncomfortable truth: Many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, and many critical water systems are already bankrupt,” said lead author Kaveh Madani.
Water quality degradation further reduces usable water and accelerates bankruptcy, it says. The report called on governments to shift from short-term crisis response to “bankruptcy management”, urging measures to reduce and reallocate water demand, curb pollution and illegal withdrawals, and reset the global water agenda ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference.
Xinhua
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