Henk Ovink: Water resources overused and not managed properly

Surface and groundwater resources are overused, polluted, and poorly managed, Henk Ovink, Executive Director of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, said at an event at WUF13 in Baku, Report informs.

He stated that so-called green water - water vapor that evaporates from plants and soil and accounts for more than half of precipitation on land - is of particular concern. Due to climate change, intense precipitation is becoming increasingly destructive.

"Water is not only a resource people need, but also a factor that unites cultures, borders, and continents," he emphasized.

Ovink recalled that the Global Commission was established ahead of the 2023 UN Water Conference to study the economic value of water. Notably, two-thirds of the commission's members had no previous experience in the water sector-this was done intentionally to bring a fresh perspective to the issue, he added.