Global Scans · Water · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Global demand for fresh water is expected to outpace sustainable supply by 40% in 2030. Global water demand will climb in tandem with population and economic growth. At least two-thirds of the world's population will face 'water stress' by 2025 and the number of people affected by floods could increase by a factor of three by 2100 bring significant risk of unrest and conflict. The UN Security Council will have to declare water a strategic resource of humanity and adopt a resolution to protect water resources and installations. Organizations will be expected to play their part in conserving water.

• [New] Using a combination of satellite imagery, weather and ground-level environmental datasets, challenge registrants - who can form teams of up to three members - will develop AI models to forecast water quality based on key parameters (alkalinity, salinity and phosphorous) for rivers in South Africa. Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach
• [New] While around 3,000 megawatts of new projects are expected by 2030, challenges remain due to drought, climate variability, and increased demand from population growth, electric vehicles and data centers. Constellation
• [New] At scale, shifting away from animal agriculture, which uses 83% of farmland to produce just 18% of calories, could free up vast amounts of land, water, and grain currently fed to livestock, helping address global food insecurity. Edamam.com
• [New] Cooling and water demands: Up to 40% of data center energy goes to cooling systems, and water use could reach 6.6 billion cubic meters annually by 2027. Main Street Magazine
• [New] As climate-tech and AgTech continue to intersect, the future of AgTech becomes inseparable from the ability to manage water, anticipate stress, and keep production resilient in a world that's changing faster than the traditional playbook ever imagined. ICL
• [New] As the global population continues to climb and climate variability presents unprecedented challenges, the advantages of the AI-powered farming system will become central to ensuring food security, protecting the environment, and driving efficiency within every sector reliant on water resources. Farmonaut
• [New] Water availability per capita in Central Asia has fallen nearly 30% over the past 20 years, while the Caspian Sea's decline and the legacy of the Aral Sea disaster pose additional risks. The Astana Times
• [New] Tehran suffers drought so severe as to threaten its viability as home for 10 million people. Strathspey Herald
• [New] The UN Water Conference in the United Arab Emirates will serve as a major milestone, offering a rare opportunity to align finance, policy and technology around shared water goals. Water Digest
• [New] Recent events, such as the 2023 saltwater intrusion into southeast Louisiana's municipal water supplies during low Mississippi River flow, underscore how drought can immediately threaten safe drinking water and increase health risks. Drought.gov
• [New] Global supply chain disruptions for products like coffee and cocoa are occurring due to drought and flooding, causing supply issues and increased prices. Bizclik Media Ltd
• [New] In South Africa, water pollution is threatening the people and ecology surrounding the UmBilo river in KwaZulu Natal. Greenpeace Africa
• [New] China's new ocean-drilling vessel, Meng Xiang, is expected to begin its first expedition, aiming to drill up to 11 kms into the oceanic crust and reach Earth's mantle. tovima.com
• [New] By 2030, a third of the ocean is genuinely off-limits to destruction. Ocean Rising
• The world is projected to face a 40% shortfall between demand and available water supply by 2030. Precedence Research
• Despite investment from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), water infrastructure will require significant additional investment, with the EPA estimating $625 billion in drinking water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years. Capstone DC
• Most major water savings in 2026 come from using AI-driven irrigation and hybrid systems. Farmonaut
• Field studies consistently show 20-30% water use reduction in orchards using AI-powered precision irrigation, with potential for even greater savings as technology and predictive models improve by 2026. Farmonaut

Last updated: 03 January 2026