Water scarcity: a growing risk to global sociopolitical stability

Recent research shows that water scarcity is an even bigger problem than previously thought. The World Bank believes water scarcity could cost up to 6 percent of GDP by 2050 unless measures are taken to alleviate it.

71% of the global population (or 4.3 billion people) live under conditions of moderate to severe water scarcity for at least one month of the year. Water scarcity has proven to be a risk multiplier, raising the chances of civil conflict following periods of drought. Lower income countries are more vulnerable as they have less freedom to invest in infrastructure and often lack of good governance, but high income countries also face severe water stress.

This deep dive outlines the risks associated with water scarcity – and advises on how to mitigate those or adapt to them.