Global water demand is expected to continue increasing at a rate of about one per cent per year until 2050, accounting for an increase of 20 to 30 per cent above the current level of water use, according to a new report by UN Water Development entitled “Leaving No One Behind.” This increase is due mainly to rising demand in the industrial and domestic sectors.
Previously, water use has been increasing worldwide by about one per cent per year since the 1980s, driven by a combination of population growth, socioeconomic development and changing consumption patterns, UN Water Development said in a news release.
More than two billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress, and about four billion people experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year. Stress levels will continue to increase as demand for water grows and the effects of climate change intensify, the report suggests.
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