In this article, we look at five most water-stressed countries in the world by 2040. You can read about factors that are leading to water scarcity and companies that are working to reduce water footprint to conserve this key natural resource by heading over to our article, 15 World’s Most Water-Stressed Countries in 2040.
5. Israel
WRI Score: 5.00
Israel is a country that is highly vulnerable to climate change. The World Resources Institute (WRI) has forecasted it to be among the world’s most water-stressed countries in 2040. One of the main challenges facing the country is that more than half of Israel’s territory comprises deserts. Moreover, while citizens enjoy a direct connection with the national water stream and consume about 137 liters of water per capita daily, the supplies are beginning to fall amid burgeoning demand. In some regions, such as the villages in Negev, thousands of Bedouins live with only partial access to water.
4. Kuwait
WRI Score: 5.00
Kuwait faces severe water-stress, primarily due to its geography of being located in an arid region of the Middle East. Per capita renewable water resources levels in the country have fallen from 17.3 cubic meters in 1977 to just 4.8 cubic meters, as of 2018. Due to a lack of water resources, Kuwait relies heavily on desalination plants to meet the water needs of the country. 447 liters of water are consumed per capita in Kuwait every day.
3. Qatar
WRI Score: 5.00
Qatar is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world and is set to retain this status in 2040 as well. Majority of the water available in Qatar comes from desalination plants, in which seawater is treated to remove salt and other impurities. Agriculture consumes about a thirds of the country’s water but only contributes 0.1% to Qatar’s GDP. Increasing reliance on imports for agricultural items can help ease the pressure on the kingdom’s already limited water resources. About 450 liters of water is used per capita in Qatar.
2. United Arab Emirates
WRI Score: 5.00
Despite the fact that the United Arab Emirates is among the most water-stressed countries in the world, the water consumption levels are about 50% higher than the global average. People in the Emirate use about 500 liters of water per day. By 2040, the UAE is projected to remain as one of the most water-scarce countries in the world. Recognizing the gravity of the issue, the Emirati government is undertaking measures such as reanalyzing water tariffs and subsidies, introducing water consumption indicators for its nationals, and construction of hundreds of groundwater monitoring stations across the nation.
1. Bahrain
WRI Score: 5.00
Bahrain is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. The country has made some progress however in the last two decades. According to the United Nations, the kingdom has reduced its water-stress levels by about a fifth, from withdrawing 195% of its renewable freshwater resources in 2000 to 156% in 2021. Despite that, a lot more work is still needed to be done as it is projected to be the most water-scarce nation in the world in 2040 by WRI. Bahrain has a daily per capita water consumption of about 600 liters, which is quite high.
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