A series of alarming reports from UN-Water and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have revealed that 90 countries, primarily in Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, are facing significant degradation of their freshwater ecosystems. This widespread decline is marked by reduced river flow, shrinking lakes, increasing pollution, and poor water management, posing serious threats to food security, climate change, and biodiversity.
The comprehensive triennial reports draw on the largest data sets ever compiled and highlight a stark contrast between high political commitment and the lack of financial and practical action needed to address the crisis. Despite recent global resolutions on sustainable water management, the reports emphasize the urgent need for enhanced global efforts to meet the United Nations’ goal of “clean water and sanitation for all” (SDG 6).
Dianna Kopansky, Head of the Freshwater and Wetlands Unit at UNEP, stressed the critical situation, stating, “Our blue planet is rapidly losing its healthy freshwater bodies, with serious implications for food security, climate change, and biodiversity. While global political commitments have risen, they are not matched by the necessary financial investments or action.”
Widespread Degradation Across Regions
The reports indicate that 90 countries are experiencing severe degradation of their freshwater ecosystems, driven by pollution, dam construction, land conversion, over-extraction, and climate change. River flow has diminished in 402 basins worldwide, a dramatic increase since 2000, while mangrove forests, crucial for coastal protection and carbon sequestration, have suffered extensive loss due to human activities.
Additionally, surface water bodies, including lakes, are shrinking or disappearing in 364 basins globally. High levels of pollutants and nutrients are causing harmful algal blooms and hypoxic conditions in many large lakes, further exacerbated by land clearance and urbanization. However, some regions, such as Oceania, are seeing improvements, particularly due to the construction of reservoirs in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Urgent Need for Improved Monitoring and Water Management
The reports highlight a critical gap in water quality monitoring, with the poorest half of the world contributing less than 3 percent of global water quality data. This lack of data hinders effective management of water resources, making it challenging to address issues like drought, floods, and agricultural runoff. The reports call for expanding government-funded monitoring programs, incorporating citizen science, and leveraging satellite-based Earth observation technologies to fill this data void.
Furthermore, the reports reveal that progress in implementing Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is inadequate, with over 100 countries lagging in their efforts. At the current pace, sustainable water management will not be achieved until 2049, leaving over 3.3 billion people in more than 100 countries with ineffective governance frameworks for water management by 2030.
To overcome these challenges, the reports advocate for unlocking financing through revenue-raising and cost-recovery mechanisms, investing in infrastructure, and fostering coordinated actions and improved institutional capacity. The findings underscore the urgent need for global collaboration to protect and restore the planet’s freshwater resources before it is too late.