MANZOOR QADIR, Assistant Director of the Institute for Water, Environment and Health, United Nations University VLADIMIR SMAKHTIN, Director of the Institute for Water, Environment and Health, United Nations University WATER scarcity is among the top five global risks affecting people’s wellbeing. In water-scarce areas, the situation is grim. Conventional sources like snowfall, rainfall, river runoff and easily accessible groundwater are being affected by climate change, and supplies are shrinking as demand grows. In these countries, water is a critical challenge to sustainable development and a potential cause of social unrest and conflict. Water scarcity also impacts traditional seasonal human migration…