The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been at the
forefront of assessing and monitoring global water resources and
presenting information on their use and management for 30 years.
UNEP has compiled this report in order to provide an easily accessible
resource on the state of the world's waters. The goal of this publication
is to produce a clear overview, through a set of graphics, maps
and other illustrations, of the state of the world's fresh and marine
waters. It also illustrates the causes, effects, trends and threats
facing our water sources, with examples of areas of major concern
and future scenarios for the use and management of fresh, coastal
and marine waters.
Global freshwater consumption rose sixfold between 1900 and
1995 - more than twice the rate of population growth. About one
third of the world's population already lives in countries considered
to be 'water stressed' - that is, where consumption exceeds 10%
of total supply. If present trends continue, two out of every three
people on Earth will live in that condition by 2025.
-- Kofi Annan, in We The Peoples, 2000
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About this report
Foreword
Executive summary
Water use and management
Problems related to freshwater
resources
References
Links to websites related to water issues
Credits
List of institutions and organisations
High-resolution (eps format) images
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