Water as a critical resource

Water is an indispensable natural resource for the life of all living beings that inhabit the planet. However, water faces multiple challenges and threats that put its availability, quality, and access at risk for present and future generations. In this article, we will analyze the importance of water as a critical resource, especially for human consumption and agricultural production, within the framework of the triple environmental crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution.

Human consumption of water is a basic need that directly affects people's health, hygiene, nutrition and well-being. According to the World Health Organization, access to clean water is a fundamental human right, but millions of people around the world lack it. In addition, population growth, economic development, and changing consumption patterns are leading to increased demand for water, exacerbating water scarcity and stress in many regions. Water is also essential for food production, as agriculture is the world's largest water user. Food security depends to a large extent on the availability and efficient management of water resources, as well as on adaptation to climatic and environmental conditions. Agriculture also has a significant impact on the environment, as it can contribute to the pollution, degradation and overexploitation of aquatic ecosystems.

The triple environmental crisis we are currently facing has direct and indirect consequences on water and its value for humanity and nature.

Climate change alters the hydrological cycle and causes extreme phenomena such as droughts, floods, storms and heat waves, which affect the quantity and quality of available water. The loss of aquatic biodiversity reduces the ability of ecosystems to provide essential services such as climate regulation, water purification, fisheries and tourism. Water pollution from various sources, such as industrial waste, agricultural chemicals, urban waste, and emerging pollutants, endangers the health of living beings and the integrity of ecosystems.

Against this backdrop, it is urgent and necessary to adopt measures to protect, conserve and value water as a critical resource for sustainable development. Some of the actions that can be implemented are:

- Promote the rational and efficient use of water, both domestically and industrially and agriculturally, through the implementation of technologies, practices and habits that reduce water consumption and waste.

- Promote integrated water resources management, which considers the social, economic and environmental dimensions of water, as well as the participation of the different actors and sectors involved.

- Implement nature-based solutions, which harness the potential of natural infrastructure to improve water availability, quality and access, while preserving and restoring aquatic ecosystems and promoting biodiversity.

- Recover and reuse water, through wastewater treatment and the extraction of nutrients, metals, energy and other value-added resources, which contributes to the circular economy and the reduction of pollution.

- Convert our extensive dams into generators of renewable energies such as wind and floating solar, eliminating the generation of hydraulic energy during the period of restriction due to lack of rainfall, without losing the capacity of production and electricity transmission of these facilities. 

- Raise awareness and educate the population about the importance of water and its functions on the planet, as well as about the challenges and solutions that exist to ensure its security and sustainability.

Water is a critical resource that requires our attention, but mainly action. Only in this way can we ensure the well-being of all living beings and the planet, now and in the future.