A UN report warns that global water systems are nearing collapse, with South Asia among the hardest hit, as overuse, pollution and climate change deepen water insecurity for billions.
Life without water is unthinkable, yet the world is rapidly moving towards such a reality. The United Nations has issued a grave warning that the planet has entered an era of “global water bankruptcy”, a crisis already undermining the lives and livelihoods of billions of people worldwide.
A newly released UN report cautions that excessive water use, unchecked pollution and weak governance have pushed global water systems to the edge. Without immediate action, it warns, entire water systems could collapse, threatening peace, social stability and global security.
The scale of the crisis is stark. Around 75 percent of the world’s population now lives in countries that are water-insecure or severely water-insecure, with South Asia emerging as one of the most vulnerable regions.
The report was led by the United Nations University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health. Professor Kaveh Madani, who headed the research, described the situation in blunt terms.
“Many critical water systems are already bankrupt. No one knows exactly when the entire global system may collapse. This is an extremely urgent situation,” he said.
South Asia under severe pressure
South Asia, home to nearly a quarter of the world’s population, is facing a dangerous convergence of water stress, climate change and population pressure. Rapid urbanisation, intensive agriculture, shrinking rivers and over-extraction of groundwater are pushing the region towards chronic water insecurity.
Countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are experiencing worsening cycles of droughts, floods and declining groundwater tables. Seasonal rivers are becoming unpredictable, while major river basins face pollution and growing upstream-downstream tensions.
Bangladesh floods, salinity and water stress
In Bangladesh, the crisis takes a uniquely complex form. While the country is often associated with floods, millions still face acute shortages of safe and reliable drinking water.
Groundwater levels in Dhaka and other major cities are falling rapidly due to excessive extraction, increasing the risk of land subsidence. In coastal regions, salinity intrusion driven by sea-level rise and reduced freshwater flow is contaminating drinking water and agricultural land, disproportionately affecting women and marginalised communities.
River pollution, encroachment and reduced upstream flow are further degrading water quality and availability, while climate-induced disasters are making water management increasingly unpredictable.
Reacting to the findings, Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, said the water crisis is no longer a distant threat for countries like Bangladesh.
“This is not a future crisis, it is already happening,” he said. “In Bangladesh and across South Asia, water insecurity is intersecting with climate change, inequality and weak governance. Communities facing floods today are the same communities struggling for safe drinking water tomorrow. Water justice must be treated as a human rights and survival issue, not just an environmental concern.”
Ground is literally sinking
Globally, the report notes that nearly two billion people live in areas where groundwater depletion has caused land subsidence, with the ground sinking beneath cities, farms and infrastructure. South Asia is among the hotspots of this hidden crisis.
Climate change is sharply intensifying these risks. Melting Himalayan glaciers threaten long-term water storage, while extreme weather, including prolonged droughts followed by sudden destructive rainfall, is becoming the new normal.
Food, conflict and shrinking lakes
The report highlights a direct threat to food security. More than half of the world’s food is produced in regions where water resources are declining or unstable, including large parts of South Asia where agriculture remains heavily dependent on groundwater and seasonal rainfall.
Water scarcity has also fuelled conflict. Since 2010, water-related tensions have risen significantly worldwide, while more than half of the world’s large lakes have been shrinking since the early 1990s.
What must be done
UN experts stress that the crisis is not inevitable. They call for urgent reforms including sustainable water use, protection of rivers and wetlands, pollution control, climate-resilient infrastructure and fair water governance that prioritises vulnerable and climate-affected communities.
For South Asia and especially Bangladesh, the warning is clear. Without immediate and coordinated action, water scarcity could become one of the region’s most destabilising forces.
The message from the United Nations is unmistakable. Water is no longer just an environmental issue. It is a global survival challenge and time is running out.
