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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Fiona Harvey Environment editor

Global fresh water demand will outstrip supply by 40% by 2030, say experts

Low water levels at Lac de Chambon hydroelectric dam in Éguzon, France
Low water levels at Lac de Chambon hydroelectric dam in Éguzon, France. Photograph: Hubert Psaila Marie/ABACA/Rex/Shutterstock

The world is facing an imminent water crisis, with demand expected to outstrip the supply of fresh water by 40% by the end of this decade, experts have said on the eve of a crucial UN water summit.

Governments must urgently stop subsidising the extraction and overuse of water through misdirected agricultural subsidies, and industries from mining to manufacturing must be made to overhaul their wasteful practices, according to a landmark report on the economics of water.

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