As the world marks World Water Day, it is clear we need better groundwater governance to avoid the next big crisis
Every day we awaken to new headlines depicting a world in crisis: storms, floods, droughts, refugees, diplomatic conflict, war. As we move deeper into an era of climate unpredictability, pollution and resource scarcity, they increasingly have one thing in common: they are water-related. And among the most challenging of these may be a water source we rarely think about: the groundwater beneath our feet.
Access to groundwater is a vital part of feeding the world’s growing population. Around 44 percent of irrigated food production worldwide uses groundwater as a water source. And as surface water becomes more scarce or polluted, agriculture will demand more and more groundwater.