WWF: A thirst for change

• If all the water on earth was in a bucket, only a single drop would be drinkable. Shocking, right? That’s because of all the water on Earth, just 2.5% is fresh water – most of which is locked up in ice or deep underground. Rivers and lakes hold only a tiny fraction. But it’s this that so much life on Earth depends on

For the billions of us that need it for farming, industrial and drinking water requirements. And for around 1 in 10 known animals – from dragonflies to ducks to dolphins, and around half of all fish species.

But today, this vital resource is under immense strain. Our rivers, lakes and wetlands are being put under threat as thirsty crops suck up water, industrial pollution and sewage leaks into rivers, natural habitats are built over, and dams and infrastructure fragment our river systems.

So where do we go from here? Our life-sustaining freshwater environments can be healthy again – but only if we all work together:

Take action