Focus on the significant increases in Freshwater withdrawals.

 

At the global level, freshwater withdrawals slightly increased by 0.1 percent between 2015 and 2022, though notable regional differences exist. Northern Africa saw the largest increase, with freshwater withdrawals rising by 16 percent, from 117 million m3 in 2015 to 135 million m3 in 2022. Western Asia and sub-Saharan Africa also experienced significant increases in their withdrawals by 13 percent and 12 percent respectively during the same period. In contrast, Central Asia experienced the most significant reduction, with withdrawals dropping by 9 percent (from 123 million m3 in 2015 to 112 million m3 in 2022 (Figure 5). Eastern Asia, Southern Asia, and Europe and Northern America also recorded decreases of 3 percent or less. Per capita freshwater withdrawals showed a consistent downward trend since 2015, decreasing by 7 percent until 2022. In 2022, sub-Saharan Africa recorded the lowest per capita annual withdrawals at 89.5 m3 per person, down from 100.4 m3 in 2015 and representing a 11 percent reduction. Important decreases in per capita withdrawals were also observed in Central Asia (the region with the largest per capita freshwater withdrawals), where these dropped by 20 percent (from 1 765 million m3 in 2015 to 1 417 million m3 in 2022), and in Southern Asia, with a 9 percent reduction (Figure 6).

Agriculture remained by far the largest user of water, accounting for 71 percent of global freshwater withdrawals in 2022. In the same year, the industrial and service sectors accounted for 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Compared to 2015, global freshwater withdrawals decreased slightly in both agriculture (by 0.44 percent) and industry (by 0.8 percent), while the service sector saw an increase of 1.25 percent. Regions with the highest reliance on agricultural freshwater withdrawals included Southern Asia (91 percent), South-eastern Asia (85 percent), Northern Africa (82 percent), Central Asia (82 percent) and Western Asia (80 percent). In contrast, Europe and Northern America reported much lower agricultural water use (34 percent), but together accounted for the largestshare of fresh water withdrawals for industry (47 percent) and services (18 percent) (Figure 7).

Agriculture remained by far the largest user of water, accounting for 71 percent of global freshwater withdrawals in 2022. In the same year, the industrial and service sectors accounted for 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Compared to 2015, global freshwater withdrawals decreased slightly in both agriculture (by 0.44 percent) and industry (by 0.8 percent), while the service sector saw an increase of 1.25 percent. Regions with the highest reliance on agricultural freshwater withdrawals included Southern Asia (91 percent), South-eastern Asia (85 percent), Northern Africa (82 percent), Central Asia (82 percent) and Western Asia (80 percent). In contrast, Europe and Northern America reported much lower agricultural water use (34 percent), but together accounted for the largest share of fresh water withdrawals for industry (47 percent) and services (18 percent) (Figure 7).

In 2022, 66 countries allocated 76 percent or more of their total freshwater withdrawals to agriculture. Among these, Afghanistan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mali, Nepal, Somalia and the Sudan dedicated over 95 percent of their extracted fresh water resources to the sector (see Figure 8). An additional 54 countries allocated between 51 and 75 percent of their freshwater withdrawals to agricultural use, while 81 countries dedicated less than 50 percent to the sector

Globally, in 2022, 69 percent of total freshwater withdrawals came from surface water sources, while 23 percent were drawn from groundwater. Compared to 2015, fresh surface water withdrawals grew marginally by 0.7 percent and fresh groundwater withdrawals rose by 0.5 percent over the same period. For all world regions, except for sub-Saharan Africa and Northern Africa, surface water represented more than 50 percent of their total freshwater withdrawals (Figure 9). In Central Asia, surface water made up 98 percent of the total withdrawals, followed by South-eastern Asia (87 percent) and Southern Asia and Oceania (84 percent each). On the other hand, Southern Asia, followed by Europe and Northen America and Latin America and the Caribbean were the regions where fresh groundwater represented between 40 and 20 percent of the total freshwater withdrawn. Western Asia recorded the largest increase in fresh surface water withdrawals, rising by 84 percent between 2015 and 2022. Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania also saw notable increases of 31 percent and 27 percent, respectively. In contrast, Central Asia experienced the most significant decline, with fresh surface water withdrawals decreasing by 9 percent over the same period. Since 2015, fresh groundwater withdrawals observed a major increase in sub-Saharan Africa by 61 percent, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean, with a 15 percent rise. On the other hand, significant declines were noted in Oceania (33 percent) and Eastern Asia (14 percent).

Non conventional water sources – such as desalinated water and wastewater – accounted for 0.6 percent and 6 percent, respectively, of total water use by countries in 2022. Regionally, Europe and Northern America were the largest users of treated municipal wastewater, with 13 percent of their total water withdrawals sourced from this type of reuse. Oceania (12 percent) and Eastern Asia (10 percent) were other major users. On the other hand, desalinated water represented about 4 percent of total water use in Western Asia, 2 percent in Eastern Asia and 1.5 percent in Oceania in 2022 (Figure 10)