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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

 

 

 

 

Magazine cover with many logos including UN Water and unesco at the top. Title is The United Nations World Water Development Report 2024 water for prosperity and peace with infographic of a dry arid land with a cityscape at a distance and greenery and buildings along the banks of a river in the foreground as two people are rolling the carpet toward the dry land/city.

 

The United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR) is UN-Water’s flagship report on water and sanitation issues that is launched on World Water Day each year and gives policy recommendations to decision-makers by offering best practices and in-depth analyses. The 2024 report highlights the wider significance of water for our lives and livelihoods. It explores water’s capacity to unite people and serve as a tool for peace, sustainable development, climate action and regional integration. Consistent with the Sustainable Development Goal for water and sanitation (SDG 6), it is essential for global prosperity and peace.

Upcoming Events

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A cityscape and the waterfront Parliament Building in Budapest under blue-pink skies.
September 8 - September 12, 2024

14th IWA Specialized Conference on the Design, Operation and Economics of Large Wastewater Treatment Plants

Budapest, Hungary
Water Drop logo
October 8, 2024

Interdisciplinary Water Symposium 2024

the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H center on Ohio State’s campus

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Snow capped mountains in a distance with green mountains int he foreground with a valley below and a river running through it. There are prayer flags hanging in the foreground along a dirt road.

The Interconnected Challenges of Forests, Water, and Livelihoods in the Lesser Himalayas

The Madi River, flowing through west-central Nepal, is a typical rain-fed river originating within the Lesser Himalayas. The Himalayan mountain chain and the Tibetan Plateau form one of the world'…

City Skyscraper Skyline of Long Island, under blue skies.

Innovative Reactive Barriers Tested to Combat Nitrate Pollution in Long Island

In a promising development from the shores of Long Island, New York, researchers have introduced a novel approach to curb the flow of nitrate into the Atlantic Ocean, addressing a long-standing…

Wren Taking Flight From a Mossy Log

Disappearing Springs and Their Ripple Effects on Ecosystems

Globally, springs, vital conduits that bring groundwater to the surface, are vanishing due to relentless development and severe drought. These springs support uniquely specialized species and play…

A row of boats at a dock with a background of the shore with dirt and vegetation and a tree line under a white sky.

Global Climate Policy Needs a Water-Centric Approach, Argues Scientist at Amazon Reserve

In the lush expanse of the Amazon, where water seems infinite, Dr. Marcia Nunes Macedo, a leading climate scientist, warns that the future of climate stability hinges not just on managing carbon…

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