A new World Bank report, Continental Drying: A Threat to our Common Future, the first edition of its Global Water Monitoring Report, provides a detailed assessment of the world’s fresh water.
Using enhanced satellite data from 2002–2024, this first edition of the report shows that the planet is losing enough fresh water to meet the annual needs of 280 million people.
The world is facing a dangerous decline in freshwater availability. This persistent freshwater loss—known as continental drying— is disrupting jobs, incomes, and ecosystems.
Global freshwater reserves have declined by around 3 per cent annually over the past two decades, with losses reaching 10 per cent per year in more arid regions.
Across the planet, dry areas are getting drier, and wet areas continue to get wetter—but the pace and level of drying are both more widespread and more rapid. The report is warning that this shift in the global water cycle carries severe consequences: jobs lost, incomes diminished, ecosystems degraded, and new vulnerability hot spots emerging, even in places once considered water secure
The report notes accelerating drying trends across large parts of Asia, Eurasia, North Africa and North America, with severe implications for food production, energy systems, ecosystems and economic stability.
The analysis outlines a set of responses, including managing demand, expanding reuse and storage, and improving water allocation. It also stresses the importance of stronger institutions, better water accounting
The report maps global hotspots, quantifies the economic and environmental toll, and outlines a three-pronged strategy—managing demand, augmenting supply, and improving allocation—to tackle the continental drying crisis.
It also identifies five cross-cutting levers as key to success: strengthening institutions, reforming tariffs and repurposing subsidies, adopting water accounting, leveraging data and technological innovations, and valuing water in trade.
Beyond water, the report says addressing trade barriers, investing in education and skills, and expanding access to markets and finance are critical to strengthening jobs and safeguarding livelihoods worldwide.and the use of data and technology to support planning and risk management.
By combining satellite data with economic and land-use information, Continental Drying: A Threat to our Common Future, offers new insight into where and why freshwater is disappearing and what can be done.
Click here to download the report in full
Click here to download the report overview
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