Pop Quiz: Water Report: Not quite!

We just published a report on the true value of water and freshwater ecosystems to people and our planet. Can you guess what percentage of the world's population still lacked access to safely managed drinking water in 2020?

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© James Suter / Black Bean Productions / WWF-US

Good try. The correct answer is: 26%

Water is central to all life on Earth. It sustains all human societies and economies, and the globe’s dazzling biodiversity. However, the world is facing a worsening water crisis, and the disastrous consequences of water blindness – undervaluing and overlooking the critical importance of water as well as the diverse benefits of healthy freshwater ecosystems – in policymaking are becoming more evident.

Over half the world’s population faces water shortages at least one month per year and this figure could rise to 5 billion – or 2/3rds of the global population – by 2050. WWF's report estimates the economic value of water and the freshwater ecosystems that store and supply it to shine a light on water blindness in policy and advocacy and help ensure that efforts to protect, restore and sustainably manage freshwater ecosystems are commensurate with their true value.