10/10/2025
14:00 - 14:45
UAE Pavilion
Session with interpretation
Session Description
The World Bank Group will launch its upcoming report “Continental Drying: A Threat to Our Common Future” at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The report addresses the escalating global water crisis caused by the long-term decline in freshwater availability across continents, examining its drivers, impacts, and global implications.Findings reveal that freshwater reserves have declined by 324 billion cubic meters annually over the past two decades—equivalent to the water needs of 280 million people—creating “mega-drying” regions and exacerbating water scarcity, food insecurity, and biodiversity loss. The report also highlights socioeconomic risks, from agricultural job losses in Sub-Saharan Africa to global income shocks linked to rainfall variability.
The session will present a three-pronged roadmap—demand management, supply augmentation, and improved water allocation—while inviting reflections on how these strategies can inform global preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, co-convened in the UAE.
Organised by
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment ( United Arab Emirates )