New report: Global water crisis threatens more than half of world food production

10/17/2024 - The global water cycle is increasingly out of balance – with consequences for the world economy and humanity. This is the core message of a report by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW), including Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). The global water crisis could endanger more than half of global food production by 2050, the authors warn. This could result in a global median gross domestic product (GDP) decline of about eight percent. Lower-income countries may even face a decline in GDP of ten to fifteen percent. The Commission argues in favour of a new economics of water, which must redefine the way we value water. It also suggests five mission areas to counteract the existing water crisis.
New report: Global water crisis threatens more than half of world food production
Photo: Artem Beliaikin/ Unsplash

According to the researchers, the ongoing wasteful use of water is due to the fact that the resource is underpriced. So far, economic approaches have focused primarily on "blue water" in rivers, lakes and aquifers, neglecting the role of "green water" in soils and plant life. The latter enters the atmosphere and plays a significant role in the water supply, in the form of precipitation. The importance of green water when it comes to storing carbon dioxide in the soil is also underestimated. The report highlights the urgency of the water crisis. To ensure a decent quality of life, it is essential to have access to at least 4,000 litres of water per person per day, accounting for food and other daily needs.

The report recommends five missions:

  1. A revolution of food systems: Transform agriculture by reducing reliance on water and nitrogen-based fertilizers, scaling up micro-irrigation, adopting regenerative agriculture, and reducing dependence on water-intensive foods
  2. Conserve and restore natural green water habitats: By 2030, conserve 30 percent of forests and restore 30 percent of degraded ecosystems, especially those that contribute to a stable water cycle
  3. Establish a circular water economy: treating and reusing wastewater, reducing distribution inefficiencies and recovering valuable resources
  4. Enable clean energy with more efficient water use: Reduce waste of water by scaling up water-efficient clean energy solutions and the use of energy-efficient technologies and artificial intelligence
  5. Ensuring access to clean water for all, including hard-to-reach communities, by 2030: Investing in decentralised water treatment systems

As a prerequisite, the authors emphasize the necessity of establishing a cross-sectoral global water pact that fosters international partnerships and develops a stable global water data infrastructure. This framework should encompass not only blue water but also green water, recognizing both as vital components of natural capital.

The GCEW was convened in May 2022 to co-host the 2023 UN Water Conference, with the aim of redefining water as a global common good. PIK Director Johan Rockström is one of four co-chairs of the commission. The report on a new economy of water complements the Stern report on the economics of climate change and the Dasgupta report on the economics of biodiversity.

Website of Global Commission on the Economy of Water (GCEW):

https://watercommission.org/

Link to the report:

https://watercommission.org/#report

Contact

PIK press office
Phone: +49 331 288 25 07
E-Mail: press@pik-potsdam.de
www.pik-potsdam.de

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