Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era

This report declares that the world has entered an era of Global Water Bankruptcy—a persistent post-crisis condition in which long-term water use has exceeded renewable inflows and safe depletion limits, causing irreversible degradation of water systems. It diagnoses the structural overspend of hydrological capital and calls for a new governance agenda grounded in the realities of the Anthropocene. The report argues that water bankruptcy is not merely a resource issue but a challenge of justice, security, and political economy, requiring equity-oriented reforms, recognition of irreversible losses, and coordinated multilateral action. It urges decision-makers to shift from crisis management to bankruptcy management, treating water as both a constraint and a bridge for addressing climate, biodiversity, and peace challenges in a deeply interconnected and fragmented world.