![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/content.argaam.com\/ce694dd4-ac3d-44f8-a7c7-794e3ffb71ab.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAbout rivers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The vitality of water to the economy over the ages has led to the emergence of what is known as \u201dwater economics,\u201d which means calculating its impact on growth rates and estimating the effects of its absence or scarcity on the economy, in all its agricultural, industrial or service activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Global Risk Insight Group notes that even in the modern era, major corporations prefer to locate their headquarters in cities like Chicago over Michigan because of the availability or absence of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, 41% of the world's population is concentrated around rivers, and despite advances in infrastructure and delivery methods to cities, preferences remain for settling areas near water, even in high-tech developed countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the world's population more than doubling in the last 50 years and renewable water resources declining in relative terms, it is vital to understand the nature of water consumption in different countries and its impact on the economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a FAO study, different industries consume 59% of water in developed countries, while an exact percentage of consumption in developing countries is not available, but in most countries, water consumption for agricultural and domestic purposes exceeds industrial purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is due to two reasons: the water abundance enjoyed by the majority of water countries, as most of them are classified as water-rich countries, allowing for increased use for industry (which is booming in those countries), as well as the relatively efficient use of water in developed countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Direct impact on growth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n An estimated 70% of fresh water (i.e., water that is not desalinated or reused) is used in agriculture globally, indicating the large proportion of water that developing countries consume in agriculture compared to developed countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps this is what prompted UNESCO to issue a warning that the production of one kilo of rice requires the consumption of 3 cubic meters of water, so the organization appealed to countries suffering from water crises to stay away from its cultivation and suffice it in countries that depend on rainwater and floods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A World Bank study suggests that global warming and shrinking water availability could cost some economies up to 6% of GDP, due to the inability to provide water for agriculture or industry or even having to relocate factories or make infrastructure changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Countries in the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa are among those at risk of losing significant percentages of their GDP by 2050 if they do not make drastic changes in the way they use water, as shortages affect agriculture, industry, and public health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In sub-Saharan Africa, the World Bank estimates that these countries need to invest 3% of their GDP annually to improve irrigation, water utilization, dam construction, etc. in order to avoid a significant decline in the size of their economies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite this, investment in water and technology related to water storage and consumption in sub-Saharan countries is only 0.3% of their GDP, signaling a potential escalation of their water scarcity crises and a downward spiral of economic decline and even humanitarian crises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An escalating global crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast, countries that have improved their water use by reducing losses by 25% have improved their GDP by 3-4% due to the abundance of water, which is what happened in South Africa, an example cited by the FAO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The country introduced a new irrigation system and extensive programs to improve water use in households and industries, reducing irrigation water use from 80% in the early 2000s to 62% in 2016, without affecting agricultural yields, with public health and industry benefiting from the abundance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n World Resources estimates that 37% of the world's countries are experiencing \u201csignificant pressure\u201d on their water resources, one-third are at \u201cacceptable risk\u201d and 30% are in water abundance, while 20% of the world's countries are at risk of falling in the \u201cwater security\u201d ranking with population growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population will be at risk of experiencing moderate to severe water shortages, especially if population growth rates and agricultural, industrial and household consumption remain unchanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In countries with \u201chigh water stress,\u201d water use in agriculture rises to 80% to try to feed their populations, but this leaves industry and domestic uses with only 20% of water resources, signaling a growing crisis in those countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Singapore and water optimization<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Singapore is one of the most water-deficient countries, with no lakes in the city-state and no rivers that can be relied upon for irrigation or industrial uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rainwater harvesting systems provide 20% of the country's water needs, 40% is imported from Malaysia, 30% is contributed by \u201cgraywater\u201d (meaning reused water after purification), and 10% is contributed by seawater desalination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In China, some areas are considered to be water abundant, as is the case in the United States, but some areas of the two vast countries are water deficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, China suffered a severe drought in 2006 that destroyed more than $300 million worth of crops and affected the livelihoods of 95 million Chinese, prompting the Chinese government to institute a massive compensation program for those affected by the drought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attempts to Address the Crisis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The FAO monitors countries\u201c attempts to use water efficiently, using a combination of market mechanisms and the \u201dwelfare state,\u201d raising water prices for heavy users while subsidizing water conservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The World Bank emphasizes the need to invest in technology for water extraction, rainwater harvesting, water reuse, and seawater desalination as the demand for water continues to rise with the ever-increasing global population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In one of its reports on sustainable development, the United Nations suggests that reused (gray) water should be about 50-60% of the water used in households and factories, allowing for significant savings in renewable water and improving public health and even economic activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This water can be used for multiple purposes such as cleaning, laundry, and sewage, leaving more room for clean water for drinking, cooking, and agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The World Bank warns that the continued impact of water shortages in many regions will lead to higher food prices, which could eventually lead to conflicts between countries over the lack of resources, making water a critical element not only for life, but for the economy and \u201dworld peace.\u201d.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Reading time: <\/span> 5<\/span> Minutes<\/span><\/span>\u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u063a\u0645 \u0645\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0642\u062f\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0643\u0646\u0648\u0644\u0648\u062c\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0643\u0628\u064a\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u062d\u0627\u0644\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0630\u064a \u064a\u0624\u062b\u0631 \u0641\u064a \u0643\u0627\u0641\u0629 \u0645\u0646\u0627\u062d\u064a \u0627\u0644\u062d\u064a\u0627\u0629\u060c \u0648\u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0631\u0623\u0633\u0647\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0627\u0642\u062a\u0635\u0627\u062f\u060c \u0625\u0644\u0627 \u0623\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u062e\u064a\u0631 \u064a\u0628\u0642\u0649 \u0645\u0639\u062a\u0645\u062f\u064b\u0627 \u0628\u0642\u0648\u0629 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0648\u0627\u0631\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0637\u0628\u064a\u0639\u064a\u0629 \u0648\u0641\u064a \u0645\u0642\u062f\u0645\u062a\u0647\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647. \u0641\u0645\u0646\u0630 \u0641\u062c\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0627\u0631\u064a\u062e \u0627\u0633\u062a\u0648\u0637\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0627\u0633 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0645\u0627\u0643\u0646 \u0628\u062c\u0648\u0627\u0631 \u0645\u0635\u0627\u062f\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647\u060c \u0633\u0648\u0627\u0621 \u0643\u0627\u0646\u062a \u0623\u0646\u0647\u0627\u0631\u0627\u060c \u0623\u0648 \u064a\u0646\u0627\u0628\u064a\u0639\u060c \u0623\u0648 \u0648\u0627\u062d\u0627\u062a\u060c \u0623\u0648 \u0622\u0628\u0627\u0631\u0627 \u0628\u0647\u062f\u0641 \u062a\u0644\u0628\u064a\u0629 \u0627\u062d\u062a\u064a\u0627\u062c\u0627\u062a\u0647\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0626\u064a\u0633\u064a\u0629 \u0633\u0648\u0627\u0621 \u0641\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0632\u0631\u0627\u0639\u0629 \u0623\u0648 \u0627\u0644\u0627\u0633\u062a\u062e\u062f\u0627\u0645\u0627\u062a … Read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1703,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"0","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7791],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-strategy"],"acf":{"amlak_post_excerpt":"\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647 \u064a\u062d\u062f\u062f \u0646\u0645\u0648 \u0627\u0644\u0632\u0631\u0627\u0639\u0629 \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0635\u0646\u0627\u0639\u0629\u060c \u0648\u064a\u0648\u062c\u0647 \u0627\u0633\u062a\u062b\u0645\u0627\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0634\u0631\u0643\u0627\u062a \u0648\u062a\u0648\u0632\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0643\u0627\u0646 \u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u064b.","amlak_post_excerpt_source":{"label":"Amlak post excerpt","type":"text","formatted_value":"\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647 \u064a\u062d\u062f\u062f \u0646\u0645\u0648 \u0627\u0644\u0632\u0631\u0627\u0639\u0629 \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0635\u0646\u0627\u0639\u0629\u060c \u0648\u064a\u0648\u062c\u0647 \u0627\u0633\u062a\u062b\u0645\u0627\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0634\u0631\u0643\u0627\u062a \u0648\u062a\u0648\u0632\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0643\u0627\u0646 \u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u064b."}},"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",665,374,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645-300x169.webp",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",665,374,false],"large":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",665,374,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",665,374,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",665,374,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",18,10,false],"event-thumbnail":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",300,169,false],"event-medium":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",600,337,false],"event-large":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",665,374,false],"event-hero":["https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0647\u0644\u0627\u0643-\u0627\u0644\u0645\u064a\u0627\u0647-\u062d\u0648\u0644-\u0627\u0644\u0639\u0627\u0644\u0645.webp",665,374,false]},"author_info":{"info":["admin"]},"category_info":"\u0627\u0644\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0631\u0627\u062a\u064a\u062c\u064a\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0637\u0646\u064a\u0629<\/a>","tag_info":"\u0627\u0644\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0631\u0627\u062a\u064a\u062c\u064a\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0648\u0637\u0646\u064a\u0629","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1698"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1698\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/content.argaam.com\/a6b20f27-8413-4bb2-9d3e-49254b4cabee.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/content.argaam.com\/2d3dbf75-1b8c-4c40-b1af-078b3a7a772e.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/content.argaam.com\/2b38516e-47ef-4d57-9727-5ade85bcff6d.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n