The world runs on water. Ample, clean water is vital for human health, industry, agriculture and energy production. Yet the world’s water systems face formidable threats due to unsustainable management and climate change.

As many as 4 billion people are exposed to water stress conditions for at least one month a year — half of these people, 25% of the world’s population, experience extremely high-water stress. Demand for water is projected to increase by up to 30% by 2050, driven by population growth, socioeconomic development, and changing consumption patterns. Water-related conflicts and political instability are on the rise. And climate change is worsening the problem, intensifying floods and droughts, shifting precipitation patterns and fueling sea level rise. Already, 90% of natural disasters from 1995-2015 were water- or heat-related.