Water stress is defined as the ratio of water withdrawal to available water resources. Without intervention — such as investment in water infrastructure and better water governance — water stress will continue to get worse, particularly in places with rapidly growing populations and economies. Without better water management, population growth, economic development and climate change are poised to worsen water stress, the study warns. For the Middle East and North Africa, the projections of global water demand increase mean 100 percent of the population will live with extremely high water stress by 2050. In Iran, for example, decades of poor water management and unsustainable water use for agriculture are already causing protests — tensions that will only intensify as water stress worsens.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 26, 2023 05:06 UTC