The index is one of over 100 created by Maplecroft to identify risks... and has been developed by measuring the four key areas surrounding the issue. These include: access to improved drinking water and sanitation; the availability of renewable water and the reliance on external supplies; the relationship between available water and supply demands; and the water dependency of each country's economy...
'Climate change the increasing demands from population growth will cause a worsening of water stress over the coming decades,' said Dr Anna Moss, environmental analyst at Maplecroft. 'There is a risk of water stress exacerbating future risks of conflict, although there is evidence that water scarcity may also help foster cooperation instead, within and between states and up to regional levels.'...
Regions particularly vulnerable to a lack of water security include the Middle East and the CIS countries of the former Soviet Union... Africa is also acutely affected by the issue, with 15 countries in the high and extreme risk categories. The countries with the most stable supplies of clean water include Iceland (165), Norway (164) and New Zealand (163).
Image source: Maplecroft
