Water is essential for life, but its distribution across the globe is uneven. Over 780 million people don't have access to clean water. As the global population heads towards 9 billion by 2050, increased demand from factors like diet changes, hydroelectric power, and industrial needs will add more pressure to our water resources.

Real-world Example: Think of water like pizza at a party. When there are only a few people, everyone gets enough slices. But as more guests arrive (population growth), the same pizza (water resources) has to be divided into smaller slices.

Many regions are facing decreased water availability. For instance, 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa live in water-scarce conditions, and climate change is likely to worsen this issue. Areas like Central and Southern Europe are also predicted to become drier due to climate change.

Real-world Example: It's like the Sahara Desert slowly creeping into your backyard, with the garden plants (representing people and agriculture) struggling to survive as the conditions become more arid.

High-income countries (HICs) usually maintain or even increase their water consumption, with a lot of it being used in agricultural and manufactured products. For example, a North American or Western European adult consumes about 3m³/day, compared to 1.4m³/day in Asia and 1.1m³/day in Africa.

Industries in high-income countries use more water as their Gross National Income (GNI) increases, rising from about 10% in low-income countries (LICs) to about 60% in HICs.

Real-world Example: If water was money, then HICs are like big spenders at a shopping mall, whereas LICs are more like thrifty shoppers.

The growing global population and changes in diet will require more water for food production. Industries like food, drinks, textiles, and pharmaceuticals need large amounts of water, which will increase demand over the coming decades.

Real-world Example: Imagine a giant cola factory. It's not just about the water in the cola. It's also about all the water used in the manufacturing process, from washing ingredients to cleaning machines.