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High cost of cheap water: the true value of water and freshwater ecosystems to people and planet

  • 16/10/2023
  • WWF

A mounting global water crisis threatens $58 trillion in economic value, food security and sustainability, according to this new report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Water, the world's most precious yet undervalued resource, lies at the heart of a mounting global crisis that threatens both human and planetary health, warns a new report, published by WWF. Released on World Food Day, The High Cost of Cheap Water uncovers a stark reality: the annual economic value of water and freshwater ecosystems is estimated to be $58 trillion – equivalent to 60% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP)*. But the world’s freshwater ecosystems are in a downward spiral, posing an ever growing risk to these values.