Global water availability and requirements for future food production

The study uses the LPJmL model to evaluate green and blue water availability against the requirements for a balanced diet (3,000 kcal per person per day). It finds that while rising CO2 concentrations may improve crop water productivity, the combined effects of climate and population change are likely to diminish per capita water availability and increase water scarcity in many countries, potentially reducing their capacity to produce sufficient food for their populations.

• Current water scarcity, defined as water availability falling below the requirements for a balanced diet, is particularly prevalent in southwestern Asia and North and East Africa.
• Future projections indicate that per capita water availability will likely decrease in numerous regions due to climate and population changes.
• While increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations may reduce calorie-specific water requirements by improving crop water productivity, this effect is uncertain and likely outweighed by other factors, leading to aggravated water scarcity and a loss of food production capacity in several countries.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2011). Global water availability and requirements for future food production. https://www.sei.org/publications/global-water-availability-and-requirements-for-future-food-production/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Global water availability and requirements for future food production. 2011. https://www.sei.org/publications/global-water-availability-and-requirements-for-future-food-production/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Global water availability and requirements for future food production |date=11 November 2011 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/global-water-availability-and-requirements-for-future-food-production/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2011global, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Global water availability and requirements for future food production}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/global-water-availability-and-requirements-for-future-food-production/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }