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2.2 billion
Total population worldwide that lack access to safe drinking water
70%
Proportion of global freshwater withdrawals due to agriculture
1.8 billion
Number of people living under drought in 2022 and 2023

The Global Water Institute tackles critical water challenges by connecting Ohio State’s expertise in research, teaching, and outreach with exceptional partners all around the world.

 

 

 

Water issues are about people, and ecosystems, and financial realities. They’re about climate and energy and old habits dying hard. Since really thorny water issues don’t have a single cause, the only way to make progress is to integrate all of those other pieces—people, energy, climate, economics—into the solution.
clear water with light wave and bubbles

 

 

 

 

Cover of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 titled 'Mountains and Glaciers Water towers,' featuring a graphic of a person viewing a landscape of mountains, glaciers, and green valleys, with logos of UNESCO and UN Water.

The United Nations World Water Development Report is UN-Water's flagship report on water and sanitation issues. It is launched around World Water Day each year and gives policy recommendations to decision-makers by offering best practices and in-depth analyses. The 2025 report is titled "Mountains and glaciers - Water towers." It highlights the urgent challenges posed by rapidly melting glaciers, threatening global water security, food and energy supplies, and environmental stability. As the climate warms, the resulting glacial retreat intensifies floods, droughts, landslides, and sea-level rise. The report emphasizes the need for immediate action to reduce carbon emissions and outlines strategies to adapt to these changes, stressing the vital role of mountain meltwater in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Upcoming Events

Passport to Earth Month at Ohio state banner.
March 22 - April 22, 2025

2025 Passport to Earth Month

Across Ohio State campuses and surrounding communities
A partial view of Earth from space.
April 22, 2025
Logo for the Global Water Summit 2025 featuring a colorful, interlocking petal design next to the event title.
May 12 - May 14, 2025

Global Water Summit 2025

Paris Marriott Rive Gauche, France
View of Stockholm's picturesque waterfront with colorful buildings and a Swedish flag fluttering on a boat.
August 24 - August 28, 2025

World Water Week 2025

Online and in Stockholm, Sweden

Recent News

Panoramic view of a Valley showing expansive white flats, winding rivers, and distant mountains under a clear blue sky.

Study Highlights Decline in Water Storage in the Indus Basin

A new study published in AGU's Water Resources Research warns of a drastic decline in groundwater storage in the Indus Basin, threatening water security for millions in South Asia.

Person cupping fresh water from a clear stream outdoors.

3D nanotech blankets offer new path to clean drinking water

Fiber tech could eliminate pollutants, generate sustainable energy
Person catching water droplets in their hands with a green field in the background.

A simpler, more efficient device for harvesting water from the air

Study finds new method to provide drinking water using half the energy
Illustration of a glacier flowing between mountains with a forest below, next to the logo "Save Our Glaciers" commemorating World Water Day, March 22, 2025, focusing on glacier preservation.

World Water Day 2025: A Call to Action for Glacier Preservation Amid Climate Crisis

On March 22, 2025, the world will come together to observe World Water Day, an annual event highlighting freshwater's importance and the urgent need for sustainable water management. This year's…