Waterschaarse

Waterschaarse is a term used to describe a condition in which available freshwater resources are insufficient to meet human and ecological needs. In Dutch, waterschaarse can describe areas or situations characterized by a limited water supply. The concept is commonly divided into physical water scarcity, where natural availability is low relative to demand, and economic water scarcity, where adequate water exists but access is constrained by governance, infrastructure, or finance.

Causes include climate variability and climate change, which alter precipitation and evaporation; population growth and urbanization increasing demand; agriculture and industry drawing large amounts of water; pollution and poor wastewater management reducing usable supply; and inadequate governance or investment.

Indicators used to assess waterschaarse include renewable freshwater resources per capita, water withdrawals as a share of available supply, groundwater depletion, and drought frequency or severity. Regions most affected typically include arid and semi-arid zones, but scarcity can occur anywhere with poor water management or extreme weather.

Impacts cover risks to drinking water, food security, health, livelihoods, and biodiversity, as well as economic costs from reduced productivity and increased disaster response needs. Social or political tensions can arise where water is scarce.

Responses focus on integrated water resources management (IWRM), improving efficiency (especially irrigation), expanding supply through recycling and desalination, reducing pollution, and strengthening governance, pricing, and transboundary cooperation. The term is commonly used in policy, development planning, and environmental reporting to frame water-security challenges and resilience strategies.