Water scarcity is threatening the health and development of countries all over the world today. It occurs when communities lack adequate water resources to meet their daily needs, either due to inadequate infrastructure or because supplies are insufficient due to drought or other reasons. Today, billions of people globally are affected by some form of water stress.
Water is a shared resource, and managing it effectively requires cooperation, especially in regions where it is scarce. Nevertheless, in some parts of the world such as the Nile Basin, transboundary water disputes are driving regional tensions. Experts predict that this problem will only worsen as the effects of climate change make themselves felt with increasing severity and frequency. Rising temperatures are triggering more frequent extreme weather events, including droughts and floods, placing even more pressure on already depleted water supplies.
Effects of Water Stress
Water stress manifests itself in different ways from one place to another. In some instances, it causes far-reaching damage, affecting agricultural production, public health, economic development, and trade. In the most extreme cases, people may not have enough water to drink and for basic hygiene in homes, schools, businesses, and healthcare facilities. Crops can fail, leading to hunger and famine. Water stress can spark conflicts and drive mass migrations.
According to UNICEF, one in three children worldwide is exposed to severe water scarcity. Inadequate water services and dwindling water supplies are impacting the mental and physical health of young people around the globe. Published in November 2023, UNICEF’s report reveals that some 739 million children already live in regions exposed to high or very high water scarcity.
In a press statement, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell explained that the consequences of climate change are devastating to children because their bodies and minds are uniquely vulnerable to extreme heat, polluted air, and poor nutrition. Not only is the world changing, with extreme weather events becoming stronger and more frequent and water sources drying up, but so too is the wellbeing of young people as climate change threatens their physical and mental health.
Water Stress in MENA
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is home to seven out of the ten most water-stressed countries on the planet. The Middle Eastern climate is predominantly dry and arid, characterized by soaring temperatures and low rainfall. To meet the water demands of residents, several countries across the region rely on desalination, a process that filters salt from seawater. As of 2017, the countries with the greatest water stress were the United Arab Emirates, with a water withdrawal rate of 1,708%; Bahrain at 3,878%; and Egypt at 6,420%. These rates above 100% indicate that the country is extracting water faster than it can be naturally replenished, or that it is relying on desalination. For example, a 500% water stress level means that water is being withdrawn from the environment at a rate five times the annual water supply.
Between 1987 and 2017, water stress levels across the MENA region have more than doubled, rising from 8,411% in 1977 to 16,422% in 2017. Egypt, in particular, has seen a significant increase, rising from 4,897% in 1977 to 6,420% in 2017. A country with a population of over 100 million, Egypt relies heavily on the waters of the Nile River, a lifeline that cuts through the surrounding desert. According to a 2021 report by UNICEF, Egypt faces a water deficit of some 7 billion cubic meters.
To the south, in Sudan, an ecological crisis is also unfolding, driven by water scarcity and desertification. Sudanese people residing in rural locations are increasingly being displaced as the changing landscape makes agriculture increasingly difficult. Against the backdrop of rising demand for water, its availability to the Sudanese continues to remain low. In Sudan, 97% of water is used by agriculture, which accounts for around 80% of employment. However, intensive farming methods degrade arable land and can contribute to desertification.
One of the most water-scarce countries on the planet, Saudi Arabia captures just 89.5 cubic meters of water per capita per year; 500 cubic meters is considered the threshold for “absolute” water scarcity. Meanwhile in the UAE, the water table has fallen by about one meter per year over the course of the last three decades. If this rate continues, the country could run out of natural freshwater resources well before the end of the century.
Potential Solutions
With water demand far outstripping supply across much of the MENA region, the situation has reached a heightened state of urgency. Countries are responding accordingly. For example, in 2019, the government of Saudi Arabia launched a national water program with the goal of curbing daily per-capita water consumption by 43% by 2030.
While water stress across the Middle East presents huge challenges, it has forced the region to engineer and embrace new solutions to the problem—indeed, the Middle East is now considered the global leader in water innovation, especially in desalination. Desalination is an essential source of the water supply in many countries across the region. In Kuwait, it is responsible for 90% of the drinking water; in Oman, it contributes 86%; and in Saudi Arabia, 70%. Wastewater reuse is another area where the Middle East has made innovative gains. Water managers across the region are finding new ways to collect, disinfect, purify, and safely reuse wastewater for industrial manufacturing, agricultural irrigation, and even drinking water.