More than 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries

　　In 2020, 3.6 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services, 2.3 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services and more than 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries without access to safe drinking water, according to a report released by the World Meteorological Organization on 5 October 2021.

　　Only 0.5% of the planet's water is usable fresh water. 3.6 billion people will have insufficient water for at least one month a year in 2018. By 2050, this number is expected to rise to over 5 billion. Over the last 20 years, land water storage (the sum of all water on the land surface and underground, including soil moisture, snow and ice) has been decreasing at a rate of 1 cm per year. The greatest losses have occurred in Antarctica and Greenland, but in many populated low latitudes, some areas that have traditionally provided water resources are experiencing severe water losses, with significant implications for water security. Water-related hazards such as floods and droughts are increasing as a result of climate change. Warming is leading to changes in global and regional precipitation, shifting rainfall patterns and agricultural seasons, with significant implications for food security and human health and well-being. The number of people facing water stress is expected to soar, a situation that will be exacerbated by population growth and reduced water availability.

　　At the same time, however, water-related management, monitoring, forecasting and early warning are fragmented and inadequate. Since 2000, flood-related disasters have increased by 134% over the previous 20 years. Most flood-related deaths and economic losses occur in Asia, and there is a need to strengthen end-to-end early warning systems for river flooding in the region. At the same time, the number and duration of droughts have increased by 29 per cent. Most drought-related deaths occur in Africa, indicating the need for stronger end-to-end early warning systems for droughts in the region.

　　Integrated water resources management is critical to achieving long-term social, economic and environmental well-being. However, despite some progress, 107 countries are still not on track to meet the target of managing their water resources sustainably by 2030.