The World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas argued that a quarter of the global population is currently suffering from extremely high water stress, and another billion people are expected to be affected from nowadays to 2050.

Such a situation means countries are using almost all the water they have, at least 80% of their renewable supplies, according to the report issued every four years.

Water demand worldwide has more than doubled since 1960, and the briefing forecasts it will increase by 20% to 25% from now to 2050 due to population growth and industries’ requirements, such as agriculture along with unsustainable water use policies and lack of infrastructure investment.

Experts analyzed that by regions, the Middle East and North Africa are considered the most affected, where the whole population will be living with markedly high water stress by mid-century, affecting the supply of drinking water, which will fuel political conflicts.

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