World Bank Global Water Monitoring Report Unveils Economic Threat of Water Mismanagement as Northern India, Global Hotspots Face Accelerated Drying
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | SDG 13: Climate Action
Institutions: Ministry of Jal Shakti | Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
The World Bankβs inaugural Global Water Monitoring Report, titled Continental Drying: A Threat to Our Common Future, was released on November 4, 2025. The report warns that the world is losing an estimated 324 billion cubic meters of freshwater every yearβenough to meet the needs of 280 million people annually.
Global water use has risen by 25% since 2000. The report identifies water stress in historically abundant regions and notes that areas already facing freshwater scarcity, such as northern India, Central America, and Eastern Europe, are experiencing an acceleration of drying.
This phenomenon of continental drying is driven by both worsening droughts and deeply flawed policy choices, including poor water pricing, weak governance, deforestation, and excessive irrigation.
The crisis is a direct economic and social threat, with droughts in Sub-Saharan Africa alone estimated to leave between 600,000 to 900,000 people jobless each year. The practice of virtual water trade remains misaligned, with many water-scarce countries continuing to export water-intensive products, thereby exacerbating domestic water stress.
Policy Relevance: Three-Part Roadmap for Water Resilience
The report calls for a coordinated and urgent policy response, framing the solution as a three-part strategy essential for smart development and building a livable planet:
Manage Demand: Implement better policies, technologies, and regulations to achieve more efficient water use.
Expand Supply: Invest in alternative water sources through recycling, desalination, and improved storage infrastructure.
Ensure Fair Allocation: Guarantee fair and effective allocation of water across sectors and regions to support both economic growth and social equity.
Follow the full report here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/continental-drying-a-threat-to-our-common-future]