Water is becoming as valuable as oil, and the world may face a severe shortage.

Clean water is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most critical resources. Less than 1% of all water on Earth is readily usable for human needs, and that supply is shrinking due to climate change and unsustainable consumption.

At the same time, water is essential to major industries such as semiconductor manufacturing and data centers, making it increasingly important to the global economy. Water resources are also becoming strategic assets in international conflicts and geopolitical competition.

As pressures on supply continue to grow, experts warn that “water” could become as valuable and strategically important as oil in the future.