EDF, IUCN and IWMI call for accelerating action on the global groundwater crisis ahead of the UN Water Conference

International nongovernmental organizations Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) have launched a Joint Statement on Global Groundwater Resilience. The initiative was announced on September 23, 2026, in New York during Climate Week NYC, calling for urgent actions and investments to address the escalating global groundwater crisis.

According to the organizations, groundwater supplies are facing an unprecedented crisis, with about 70% of the world's major aquifers experiencing irreversible long-term decline. This widespread depletion threatens global food supplies, rural communities, local economies, and delicate ecosystems around the globe.

Groundwater acts as a critical water supply buffer as droughts and desertification intensify, leading to shrinking surface water from rivers and streams. However, overextraction has caused wells to run dry in communities worldwide, pushing many underground aquifers past sustainable thresholds.

The newly launched Joint Statement aims to strengthen international cooperation and advance action across several fronts, including developing new data and decision-support tools, promoting sustainable and equitable groundwater governance, and fostering knowledge-sharing among nations. EDF, IUCN, and IWMI have invited Member States and international institutions to endorse the statement ahead of the UN Water Conference scheduled for December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Experts emphasize that groundwater is the most extracted natural resource in the world and underpins global water security. Catalyzing immediate action, financing, and robust international frameworks is deemed essential to safeguard underground water resources for future generations and secure global climate resilience.