Published: Jan 22, 2026, 03:21 IST | Updated: Jan 22, 2026, 03:21 IST
The United Nations warns the world has entered a new era of “global water bankruptcy,” where rivers, lakes and underground aquifers are being depleted faster than nature can replenish them, meaning water systems may never fully recover. Billions now face severe scarcity, food systems are at risk, and experts say urgent global action is needed to manage water sustainably