Another Inconvenient Truth

97.5% of the earth’s water is saltwater and therefore not suited for human use. The remaining freshwater is for its most part locked into icecaps and glaciers. This leaves a mere 1% that is actually available for both human use and environmental needs. Water, a fragile but renewable resource, is consumed primarily by agriculture, followed by the industrial sector and domestic uses.

Currently, there is enough water available on the planet for both environmental and human needs. Yet, the overall picture must not hide several local difficulties: water is an unfairly distributed resource and 60 % of all available freshwater is found in 10 countries.

According to the International Water Management Institute, by 2025, as many as 3 billion people will face water shortages. Uneven distribution, growing populations, changing standards of living, changing diets, and urbanization are among the main causes of the predicted water shortages that will result in rising local water stress and constitute the most pressing issue of the century.

While the international community has taken a stand to combat global warming, if we are to successfully construct a sustainable future, the issue of water must be considered more seriously. Sustainable water management is crucial for providing tomorrow’s children with social and economic stability in a healthy environment.

The water problem can be solved. Providing access to water in sufficient quantity and quality is a responsibility that everyone with a stake in water use shares: agriculture and farming, industry and energy and domestic users.

The Nestlé Group acknowledges this challenge and in an effort to meet that challenge has co-founded the CEO Water Mandate, a United Nations Global Compact initiative with a focus on developing strategies and solutions to contribute positively to the emerging global water crisis.