We need to change to solve the water crisis

Amidst a personal journey of healing and self-discovery last year, I found solace and wonder in the lush jungles and vanishing rice fields of Bali. I felt lucky to experience the abundant nature of Mother Earth, yet I couldn’t shake the sobering reality of our looming climate crisis: we’re running out of water.

The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry has officially declared that 260 out of its 400 rivers have dried up—more than half of Bali's freshwater resources have vanished. Excessive groundwater pumping is causing the island's water table to plummet and permitting salt-water intrusion that contaminates what little freshwater remains.

Water scarcity is a global crisis, starkly evident in various regions with devastating impacts on both developed and developing countries. In Chile, prolonged droughts are wiping out crops, leading to significant economic losses and threatening food security for millions. Similarly, in California, ongoing droughts have been squeezing water supplies, fuelling wildfires, and forcing cities to enforce strict water rationing. The water crisis knows no borders and affects us all.

In the words of George Monbiot, “there’s an almost total failure among powerful interests to acknowledge that this is just one instance of a global problem, a problem that should feature at the top of the political agenda” as an urgent crisis for humanity. No, it’s not just an environmental crisis—nature will inevitably restore balance to thrive, but our very existence as humans hangs in the balance. Ignoring this reality could lead to catastrophic consequences for us as a species.

While I don’t feel comfortable leaving people with such pessimism, we need to face the mirror and talk about our problems so we can pull ourselves together to pave the way forward. There is always hope for humanity if we can shed our egos—and self-serving elites.

My time last year volunteering on environmental conservation projects and building regenerative ecosystems taught me that solutions exist. But they necessitate a fundamental shift in our systems and outdated policies that no longer serve our collective well-being. We need to rediscover our purpose on this planet and prioritise peace and prosperity to thrive better than we have ever before. 💚