6.4.2 Water Stress
The total quantity of freshwater withdrawals as a share of internal resources. This includes water withdrawn from agricultural, industrial and domestic uses. Water stress is defined by the following categories:
- <10% low
- 10-20% low-to-medium
- 20-40% medium-to-high
- 40-80% high
- >80% extremely high
Food and Agriculture Organization, AQUASTAT Data. Retrieved from “http://www.fao.org/land-water/databases-and-software/aquastat/en/“
6.4.2 Water Stress in the Sustainable Development Goals
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6. Ensure access to water and sanitation for all
Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. There is sufficient fresh water on the planet to achieve this. But due to bad economics or poor infrastructure, every year millions of people, most of them children, die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.
Water scarcity, poor water quality and inadequate sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihood choices and educational opportunities for poor families across the world. Drought afflicts some of the world’s poorest countries, worsening hunger and malnutrition.
By 2050, at least one in four people is likely to live in a country affected by chronic or recurring shortages of fresh water.
Related 6.4.2 Water Stress Targets
By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity