Asia, Pacific lifts 2.7 bln people from water insecurity, but ecosystem decline threatens progress: ADB report

More than 60 percent of Asia and the Pacific's population, about 2.7 billion people, has been lifted from extreme water insecurity over the past 12 years, but these hard-won gains are threatened by accelerating environmental decline and a major financing gap, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.

The Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO) 2025, published on Tuesday, finds that renewed political commitment, targeted investments, and governance reforms since 2013 have driven this progress.

But ecosystem decline, climate risks, and funding shortfalls for water investments threaten to plunge billions back into water insecurity.

Wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and forests that sustain long-term water security are deteriorating fast. Extreme weather events threaten a region that already accounts for 41 percent of the world's floods. In recent weeks, parts of Southeast and South Asia have been hit by devastating floods.

The AWDO estimates that 4 trillion U.S. dollars through 2040, or 250 billion dollars a year, is needed to meet the region's water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) needs alone.

xinhua