Will water scarcity become the next major development challenge? | Experts’ Opinions

For decades, energy security and its economic and geopolitical impact dominated the international development news. This summer, another challenge took center stage: water scarcity. Europe recently experienced one of its most severe hydrological crises, driven by extreme heat waves, low precipitation and accelerated river evaporation. The United Nations warned of this risk at the beginning of this year, declaring that “the world has moved beyond a water crisis and into a state of global water bankruptcy”. Could water scarcity become the next major development challenge, and is there a way to prevent it? Read expert perspectives on this critical issue below. Check some opinions below.

DevelopmentAid: Could water scarcity become one of the defining international development challenges, and what should governments and development organizations do to prevent it?

“The United Nations’ recent warning that the world is sliding into “water bankruptcy” signals a turning point in how we think about development. Population growth, expanding industries, and increasingly erratic weather are draining aquifers faster than nature can refill them. Water scarcity is no longer just an environmental concern – it’s becoming a direct threat to food production, public health, and even social stability. When communities lose reliable access to clean water, progress in education, poverty reduction, and basic wellbeing quickly unravels. Addressing this crisis will require governments and international institutions to shift away from short-lived emergency responses and toward deeper structural change. Agriculture should be the first priority, since traditional farming still consumes most of the world’s freshwater. More efficient irrigation systems, safe reuse of wastewater, and local efforts to restore watersheds can make a significant difference. At the same time, countries need fair and transparent water governance so that vulnerable groups are not pushed aside during droughts or shortages. If sustainable water management becomes part of long-term national planning rather than an afterthought, it will help protect both natural resources and the communities that depend on them.”

“Water scarcity will indeed be a challenge in the coming decades, not only for development but also for the survival of humanity. Development implies growth, and the current growth model is based on the exploitation of nature, particularly in environmentally vulnerable areas where low-income populations live—populations with little political power. Climate change, extractive economic exploitation, the absence of policies (and their weak implementation where available) for the protection of nature—water sources, forests, wetlands, etc.—and the denial of the climate problem are causing planetary boundaries to be strained, making it increasingly difficult to establish minimum access to water and other essential goods and services from nature. Regarding governments, the first step would be to acknowledge climate change, the second to protect water sources, forests, rivers, and other natural assets, and finally, to create defense systems at the community, local, state, national, and regional levels against corporate, business, or even foreign intervention in these assets. The wars of the future—200 years from now—will not be fought over oil, gold, or rare earth elements, but over air, forests, and water. This implies that countries with the greatest military and geopolitical power will do everything possible to destabilize and seize territorial or political control of available freshwater sources. While it is true that ocean water desalination processes exist, this implies a vast dependence on energy and accumulated salt, which, in the required quantities, makes widespread implementation very difficult. This could be solved with new technologies, but so far, with the information and processes currently available, the situation looks bleak for humanity.”

“Water scarcity is likely to be one of the most important development challenges in the next decades. There are increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and more frequent droughts to worry about, and increasing population growth, urbanization and demand from farmers and industries alike. Much of the Sahel, South Asia and the Middle East already have chronic water shortages and researchers say billions of people could face water stress by mid-century. Unlike many development problems, water scarcity cuts across food security, public health, energy production and political stability and it is a systemic risk rather than a sector-specific one. Governments and development organizations should focus on three areas: investing in water-efficient infrastructure and agricultural practices, as agriculture is responsible for the lion’s share of freshwater use; second, strengthening transboundary water governance to avoid conflicts over shared rivers and aquifers; and third, integrating climate adaptation into water planning, such as wastewater reuse and resilient storage systems. Early, coordinated action will be much cheaper than dealing with future crises.”

“As a fisheries and aquaculture researcher working with inland waters, I see water scarcity not only as an environmental or public-supply crisis, but also as a growing threat to food and nutrition security. Inland fisheries and aquaculture provide essential blue foods, income and livelihoods for millions of people, particularly rural and vulnerable communities across the Global South. Yet these sectors are frequently overlooked in water-allocation policies. Declining water availability, deteriorating water quality and increasingly irregular hydrological cycles can reduce fish recruitment, fragment aquatic habitats, intensify competition among water users and limit the productive capacity of reservoirs, lakes, rivers and aquaculture systems. Poorly planned responses may further transfer the costs of water scarcity to small-scale fishers, fish farmers and traditional communities. Governments and development organizations should therefore integrate inland blue food systems into water governance and climate-adaptation strategies. Priorities should include protecting environmental flows and fish connectivity, improving water-quality and hydrological monitoring, allocating water equitably, and planning aquaculture according to ecological carrying capacity. Water, fisheries and aquaculture policies can no longer be developed separately: safeguarding freshwater ecosystems is also an investment in food production, livelihoods and social resilience.”

“Water scarcity is going to be, without a doubt, one of the most consequential nature and climate risks that societies, economies and financial systems will face in the coming decades. Climate change, demographic growth, ecosystem degradation and increasing competition for water are already putting pressure on water resources in many regions, and this pressure will only increase. Governments, companies and financial institutions need to evaluate their exposure to water-related risks, understand the potential consequences if those risks materialize, and act now rather than waiting for water scarcity to become a crisis. For governments and development organizations, the priority should be to combine water efficiency and demand management with investments that strengthen the resilience of watersheds and landscapes. This means supporting more efficient water technologies and practices, while also investing in nature-based approaches such as watershed restoration, wetland protection and regenerative agriculture. These measures can reduce pressure on water resources while generating benefits for climate adaptation, biodiversity and local livelihoods. Water scarcity is a development, economic and financial issue. The time to understand the risk and start acting is now.”

“Water scarcity could become one of the world’s foremost development challenges. It no longer results solely from insufficient rainfall, but from the combined effects of climate and demographic pressures, urbanization, industrialization, resource overexploitation, and inadequate water collection, distribution, and recycling infrastructure. Unlike energy shortages, which primarily constrain economic activity and quality of life, water scarcity directly threatens human survival. Dwindling supplies may also drive up costs and further exclude vulnerable populations. Solutions exist, but their suitability depends on the context. Coastal countries with strong solar potential can develop renewable energy-powered desalination and expand wastewater reuse. Landlocked countries may prioritize rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge, efficient irrigation, and watershed restoration. However, these solutions require financing, technologies, and maintenance capacities that may not be readily available, while desalination can also entail high environmental costs. Governments and development banks should therefore protect existing water resources, reduce distribution losses, improve water governance, and mobilize concessional financing for resilient, affordable infrastructure tailored to local conditions.”

“From my international, regional and local experience working on climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, and green, circular and blue economy initiatives, I see water scarcity becoming one of the defining development challenges of the coming decades. Across Jordan, the wider MENA region and international development work, I have seen how water stress increasingly intersects with food security, livelihoods, ecosystems, urbanization and economic resilience. Governments and development organizations must move beyond treating water primarily as an infrastructure or environmental issue. Priorities should include reducing system losses, improving agricultural and urban efficiency, expanding wastewater treatment and reuse, protecting watersheds and groundwater, and investing in nature-based solutions. Equally important are stronger governance, better data, innovation, and integrated planning across water, food, energy and economic sectors. Above all, solutions must be designed with communities, not simply for them. Local knowledge, ownership and participation are essential to ensuring that water interventions are practical, equitable and sustainable. My experience has reinforced that lasting change happens when communities are partners in defining problems, developing solutions and managing resources. We must shift from managing water scarcity as a crisis to building water-resilient economies where every drop is valued and water security becomes a shared development priority.”

“Water scarcity is already an issue in cities like Lima (Peru), one of the world’s largest desert cities and home to approximately one-third of the country’s population, which faces water insecurity. However, a solution is already tested and thriving in the remote mountains nearby, three hours from the capital, in the community of San Pedro de Casta, located 3,000 meters above sea level. The community is a water seeding hub, preserving pre-Columbian water collection systems known as “amunas,” which are based on centuries-old wisdom. These ancient practices to combat water scarcity and climate-related challenges must be fostered and escalated in a decentralized manner by the government: that’s the only solution in the Andean world. The amunas collect large amounts of water using natural processes, offering a sustainable solution to urban water and climate-related challenges. In the watershed fed by the amunas, water availability has grown by 30% thanks to these techniques. Several organizations have already noticed the amunas’ effectiveness for water replenishment, and currently UNESCO has also declared them an Ecohydrology Demonstration Site.”

See also: Are climate aid cuts the next global security risk? | Experts’ Opinions

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