Less than 1% of the world’s water is readily available for direct human use. The rest is in the oceans or locked in glaciers and ice sheets. Yet without freshwater there would be no life on Earth. Almost every land-based animal and plant relies on water for survival. And people need water for farming and for industry, to generate electricity and in our homes for drinking, cooking and washing.
But the world's freshwater resources – the sources of our water – have been degraded more rapidly than any other habitat type in the last quarter of a century: more than half the world’s wetlands have been destroyed in the last one hundred years and WWF's Freshwater Species Population Index (a measure of the health of freshwater ecosystems across the world) has fallen by almost half since 1970, often a result of land use changes and water pollution.
The world’s population tripled in the 20th Century, but the consumption of water grew six fold. The fact that water is unevenly distributed across the globe means that the impacts of increasing water consumption have been felt largely in poorer, drier countries. In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, central and South Asia rivers are dying and lakes disappearing. More than one billion people lack access to safe drinking water, with the annual death toll from water-borne diseases estimated at three million people. The rising pressure on our water resources means conflict between water users is increasing
Flooding and drought, often caused or exacerbated by poor management of rivers and their catchments, already claim many lives and cause billions of dollars worth of damage every year. Climate change models suggest that many of us will experience more of these extreme events in future if we don’t act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage our water catchments better.
Pollution of rivers and lakes continues to rise. Whilst impacting these important natural habitats and the species which depend upon them, the pollution restricts the way in which these important water resources can by used by agriculture, industry and in our homes. Where people have no choice, the incidence of disease and illness will continue to rise.
Whilst our demand for water continues to rise, land use change, pollution and over exploitation mean that the available water resources are diminishing, with implications to economic prosperity, natural habitats and species diversity and human health. Therefore, where we can reduce our personal consumption of water we can make a real contribution.
Think about how you can reduce your demand for water and what you dispose of in it, both at home and in the wider environment. Make a pledge as part of the Race for a Living Planet.
More information about Freshwater and Marine environments