Water scarcity: 8 facts you need to know

The document details the critical state of global freshwater resources, noting that less than 1% of Earth's water is accessible for human use. It highlights how climate change, inefficient agricultural irrigation—which consumes 70% of freshwater—and urban demand exacerbate water stress, affecting over 2 billion people. WWF's interventions are highlighted in the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo, the Indus River basin, the Pantanal, and various urban centers across Asia and North America, focusing on nature-based solutions, sustainable farming, and habitat restoration.

• Freshwater is a limited resource, with only about 3% of Earth's water being freshwater and less than 1% accessible for human use, currently facing depletion from pollution and over-extraction.
• Water stress affects more than 2 billion people globally, regardless of national wealth, with women and children disproportionately burdened by the need to collect water.
• Agricultural irrigation is the primary driver of freshwater consumption, accounting for 70% of global use, often through inefficient practices that lead to pollution and soil degradation.
• Freshwater ecosystems have seen an 85% decline in biodiversity since 1970, and wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests.
• Specific regional water crises include the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo, where demand exceeds supply to the point that 1.5 Rio Grandes would be needed to meet current needs, and the Indus River basin in Pakistan, where floods threaten water security.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). Water scarcity: 8 facts you need to know. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/water-scarcity-8-facts-you-need-to-know/

Chicago

WWF International. Water scarcity: 8 facts you need to know. n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/water-scarcity-8-facts-you-need-to-know/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Water scarcity: 8 facts you need to know |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/water-scarcity-8-facts-you-need-to-know/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndwater, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Water scarcity: 8 facts you need to know}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/water-scarcity-8-facts-you-need-to-know/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }