Access to clean water is a fundamental human necessity, yet it remains out of reach for a significant portion of the global population. Recent research led by Edward Jones, a hydrology and water quality modeler at Utrecht University, indicates that water scarcity issues are only set to intensify. Currently, about 55% of the world’s population struggles to access clean water at least one month per year. Alarmingly, this figure is expected to rise above 65% by 2100.

Jones and his team employed a unique methodology in their research, focusing not only on the availability of water but also on its quality—a crucial aspect often neglected in traditional water scarcity studies. They integrated data from five global climate models with a hydrological model to simulate future water scenarios, taking into account both environmental changes and socio-economic factors.

This crucial study was highlighted in Eos., a publication of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), underscoring the urgent need for concerted efforts to curb water usage, reduce pollution, and mitigate the effects of climate change to ensure access to clean water for future generations.

Visit Eos. to learn about "Water Scarcity Likely to Increase in the Coming Decades."