Water Security

This lesson examines global patterns of water availability, the distinction between physical and economic water scarcity, the concept of virtual water, water conflict, and strategies for improving water security. Water is fundamental to food production, health, energy generation, and ecosystem maintenance, making water security a critical theme in AQA A-Level Geography.

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Defining Water Security

Key Definition: Water security is defined by UN-Water as "the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability."

Key Statistics

• Approximately 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF, 2023)
• 3.6 billion people lack safely managed sanitation
• 2 billion people live in countries experiencing water stress (UN, 2023)
• Agriculture accounts for approximately 70% of global freshwater withdrawals
• Industry accounts for approximately 19% and domestic use for approximately 11%

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Global Water Distribution

Although 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, only 2.5% is freshwater. Of this freshwater: