Asia's Developing Future

A coming water crisis, driven by climate change, neglect of infrastructure, and misguided policies, is threatening global economic growth in countries struggling to develop, and in developed countries, too. The water crisis is partly due to climate change and the increasing unpredictability of weather, but a lot has to do with the behavior of global trade, trade policies, and institutions that believe water is inexhaustible. It is not. By 2050, global demand for water will have risen by 55% from current levels, and wastewater discharges of growing urban populations will increase nitrogen effluents into rivers and seas by 180%—almost triple—compared with today’s rates, creating severe water stress that will affect the livelihoods of 4 billion people. Alexandre le Vernoy, a consultant at Groupe d’Economie Mondiale, identifies four major concerns about water: scarcity aggravated by climate patterns, declining water quality, weak management and regulations, and infrastructure gaps that make it hard to get wat