The world is rapidly losing its water supply, according to the World Bank's Global Water Monitoring Report. This global report, titled Continental Drying, highlights the water crisis using unprecedentedly detailed data.

The new data allowed researchers to pinpoint areas where water is used efficiently and where it's not. The global trade in water-intensive products plays a particularly important role.

"Water use has increased by 25% compared to twenty years ago," says Rick Hogeboom, co-author of the report. "This rise is especially visible in areas that were already water-scarce and where large-scale drying has now been measured."

According to the researchers, around 25% of global water consumption flows into the global economy. "Take a cotton sweater made in Pakistan but which is sold here," says Hogeboom.

"Producing it requires a lot of water, while the water shortages in Pakistan are already acute. It shows that water is not just a local resource but a global one. Solutions must therefore also consider where we produce what, and what we import and export."

The report shows there is still much to be gained: reducing inefficient water use could save more than a third of all water used in agriculture worldwide. Smarter land use, modern irrigation systems and better management can make this possible

The Global Water Monitoring Report is published by the World Bank and is the first in a new series of Flagship Reports.

Source: The World bank Report

Image: AFP