Nearly a quarter of the world's population threatened by water scarcity

Will water end up missing on our planet? Nearly a quarter of the world's population, living in 17 countries, is already in a situation of severe water scarcity, close to "zero day", during which no more drops of water will come out of the tap, according to a report made public. , Tuesday, August 6th. The World Resources Institute (WRI), an American think tank, mapped out the risks of water scarcity, drought and river flooding around the world.

#DayZeroWatch - New @WRIAqueduct data shows which countries are facing #waterstress, and reveals several emerging trends and hotspots. Learn more: https://t.co/XJkY3VcP7I pic.twitter.com/5gVnQAtNi6

As a result, worldwide water withdrawals have more than doubled since the 1960s because of growing demand, which shows no sign of slowing down. "When the demand rivals the reserves, even small droughts, which will increase with climate change, can cause terrible consequences", such as the recent crises in Cape Town, Sao Paulo or Chennai, details the institute.

Qatar, Lebanon and Iran among the concerned

"Agriculture, industry, and municipalities absorb 80% of the available area and groundwater in an average year" in the 17 countries concerned, mainly in the Middle East and North Africa, says the institute again. These countries are Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, United Arab Emirates, San Marino, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Oman , Botswana and India, the second most populous country in the world.

Twenty-seven other states are on the list of countries with "high water scarcity", including Belgium, Greece and Spain. "Water scarcity is the biggest crisis that no one is talking about," said WRI CEO Andrew Steer, "its consequences are food insecurity, conflict, migration, and financial instability," he added.

44 countries are exposed to high #waterstress, where 40% of the available supply is withdrawn every year by farms, industries & consumers. These countries are home to more than 2.5 billion people, 1/3 of the world's population. Learn more: https://t.co/uWR32yLHon #DayZeroWatch pic.twitter.com/EFEQqY0XXv

>> To read also: Drought: stories (lack) of water

France, in 59th position

According to a table defined by the institute, France is in 59th position (out of 164), in the ranking of the states most affected by a shortage of water, a risk "medium-high". The report stresses, however, that while some countries are less exposed to these risks, there may be areas of extreme scarcity within them. For example, if the United States ranks 71st, the state of New Mexico remains particularly vulnerable to drought.

The institute recalls that, "as with any challenge, the prospects for water scarcity depend on the strategic direction of each state. Efforts have already been made in some countries to improve their water management. For example, Namibia, one of the driest countries in the world, has been turning wastewater into drinking water for 50 years. Similarly, Australia has almost halved the use of its domestic water.

"The data is clear: there are undeniably worrying trends," warns the report, but "by taking action today and investing in better water management, we can solve water-related problems. the good of every population, economies and the planet, "the institute concludes.

With AFP