Water is a key element of life for everyone on Earth. As the world’s population grows, the demand for water mounts and pressure on finite water resources intensifies. Climate change, which is also closely tied to population growth, will also lead to greater pressures on the availability of water resources. The exact number of people living on Earth in the coming decades is uncertain, but we do know that the population will continue growing, and this will impact water availability. Investing in efforts that slow the rates of population growth through increasing access to voluntary family planning services can help ensure that ample water is available for global food production, ecosystem health, and political and social stability.
Links between Population and Water Population growth is a major contributor to water scarcity. Growth in populations means mounting demand and competition for water for domestic, industrial, and municipal uses. Water is also needed for agriculture and industrial use, and for the evacuation of waste materials. The most water scarce or stressed areas are typically those with few water resources, high population densities, and high population growth rates.3 Population growth limits the amount of water available per person, drives people into marginal regions—which are already water stressed—and also into cities. For instance, most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region cannot meet their current water demand. Seven of the world’s 10 water scarce countries are in the MENA region 4. With per capita water availability projected to fall by half by 2050, the situation is likely to be dire in the coming years.5 Projections show that by 2035, 3.6 billion people will be living in areas with water stress or scarcity, as population growth causes more countries and regions to become water scarce6. The path of future population growth will impact water stress and scarcity .This path will largely depend on the choices that men and women make today about the size of their families, and the family planning services that are available to them as they make these choices.
Agriculture accounts for approximately 70 percent of global water use, and for as much as 95 percent of water use in predominantly agriculture-based countries. Agriculture not only requires a large amount of water, but it is also one of the most inefficient uses of water.8 A growing population requires more food. More water is needed to produce that food. Agricultural productivity is a crucial component of global food security and, therefore, water scarcity and hunger are closely interrelated. Population growth, along with development, will double global food demand by 2050. This will require increased agricultural production and put increased pressure on water resources.9
