According to a new report, a rapidly worsening global water crisis could undermine food security and international stability.

According to the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, the climate crisis, over-extraction, and pollution are putting a strain on water resources. The report highlights the potential for severe disruption in agriculture as water shortages worsen, given its heavy dependence on diminishing freshwater supplies, as within 25 years, it will threaten over 50% of global food.

The Commission is advocating for substantial transformations in the valuation, management, and use of water. We must assign the appropriate value to water, fully recognising its role as the most precious resource on our planet and acknowledging the importance of green water.

The report warns that key agricultural regions responsible for feeding billions are particularly vulnerable to water shortages, which could severely disrupt food production.

It is stated that we must effectively tackle the water crises; we need to consider the full implications of the hydrological cycle, which has consequences for communities and economies around the world and all the earth’s ecosystems, affecting our collective ability to achieve local, national, and global agendas concerning dignified lives, food security, sustainable development, and more."