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EPISODE · Jan 30, 2026 · 13 MIN

The world has entered its water bankruptcy era

from The Current

According to the UN, the world is entering an era of “water bankruptcy,” a term scientists are using to describe what happens when water use outpaces nature’s ability to recover. In this conversation, we unpack what that actually means, and why many water systems are no longer bouncing back even after rains return. We hear from Kaveh Madani, the author of a new UN report, and the Director of the Institute for Water, Environment and Health at United Nations University. 

According to the UN, the world is entering an era of “water bankruptcy,” a term scientists are using to describe what happens when water use outpaces nature’s ability to recover. In this conversation, we unpack what that actually means, and why many water systems are no longer bouncing back even after rains return. We hear from Kaveh Madani, the author of a new UN report, and the Director of the Institute for Water, Environment and Health at United Nations University.

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The world has entered its water bankruptcy era

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This episode was published on January 30, 2026.

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According to the UN, the world is entering an era of “water bankruptcy,” a term scientists are using to describe what happens when water use outpaces nature’s ability to recover. In this conversation, we unpack what that actually means, and why many...

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