Cyprus among top six nations facing extreme water scarcity

Cyprus is one of six countries identified as facing the greatest water scarcity in the world, according to a report by the World Resources Institute.

It found that Cyprus, along with Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, and Qatar are the world’s most water stressed nations.

It categorised a country experiencing “extreme water stress” as those which use at least 80 per cent of its available water supply, while those with “high water stress” use 40 per cent of its supply.

The six nations listed above face such water scarcity primarily due to lower water supply combined with demand for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use, according to the report.

It added that increased water demand is often the result of population growth, industrial expansion – such as irrigation for agriculture, livestock farming, energy production, and manufacturing.

The report warned that a lack of investment in infrastructure, unsustainable water use policies, and increased variability due to climate change also impact water availability.

It emphasised that without intervention, such as investment in water infrastructure and better water-use policies, water stress will continue to worsen – especially in areas with rapid population growth and developing economies.

Water scarcity can lead to disruption in industrial production, energy shortages, and losses in the agriculture sector.

It also poses a risk to food security, as the report stated that 60 per cent of global irrigated agriculture already faces extreme water stress.

The institute noted, however, that water stress does not necessarily equate to water crisis.

It gave the examples of Singapore and Las Vegas, cities which “thrive even under severe drought conditions, with policies such as reducing grass lawns, desalinization, and wastewater treatment and reuse”.