Topic: water

Direct annual economic benefits of tourism and fisheries resulting from coral reefs amounts to US$94 million in St. Lucia and US$44 million in Tobago. Those numbers amount to 11 percent and 15 percent of those Caribbean islands’ yearly gross-domestic product.

The Aral Sea, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, is a cautionary tale about how changes to ecosystems can have far-reaching impacts on the communities that depend on the services they provide.

Coastal communities worldwide are witnessing their livelihoods choked by agricultural and industrial pollution, according to findings released today by the World Resources Institute.

This map identifies only 20 eutrophic coastal zones in all of Africa, of which 8 have documented hypoxia and 12 are areas of concern.

This map identifies just 24 eutrophic coastal areas with documented hypoxia and 9 areas of concern within Asia.

This map identifies 36 eutrophic coastal zones; 9 with documented hypoxia and 27 areas of concern.

This map identifies 168 eutrophic and hypoxic coastal areas in Europe. Fifty-nine of these are documented hypoxic areas, 106 are areas of concern, and 3 are improved systems that are in recovery.

This map identifies 25 eutrophic and hypoxic zones, with 3 having documented hypoxia and 22 areas of concern. Most are found in Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

This map identifies 131 eutrophic and hypoxic coast zones in North America and the Caribbean. Sixty-two have documented hypoxia, 59 are areas of concern, and 10 are systems in recovery.

As part of World Water Day, The Access Initiative (TAI) is releasing a case study of how in 2004, poor data dissemination put the citizens of the capital of the world’s richest country at risk from lead in their drinking water.

Corporate Ecosystem Services Review road-tested by Akzo Nobel,

BC Hydro, Mondi, Rio Tinto, and Syngenta

Eutrophication—the overenrichment of water by nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus—has emerged as a leading water quality problem. This report identifies over 415 areas worldwide that are experiencing eutrophication symptoms, and there are significant information gaps in many regions.

Eutrophication—the over-enrichment of water by nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus—is a leading threat to water quality around the world. Also known as “nutrient pollution,” eutrophication upsets the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems, which can lead to algal blooms, red tides, hypoxic or “dead” zones, fish kills, and, eventually, ecosystem collapse.

Agriculture, though important to economic development and food security, is a source of increased sediment, nutrient, and pesticide runoff.

High Economic Values Placed on Coral Reefs in Tobago and St. Lucia

Disappearance of the Aral Sea

Coastal Populations Losing Livelihoods to Polluted Waters

Watching Water: A Guide to Evaluating Corporate Risks in a Thirsty World

Coastal Eutrophic and Hypoxic Areas of Africa

Coastal Eutrophic and Hypoxic Areas of Asia

Coastal Eutrophic and Hypoxic Areas of Australia and Oceania

Coastal Eutrophic and Hypoxic Areas of Europe

Coastal Eutrophic and Hypoxic Areas of South America

Coastal Eutrophic and Hypoxic Areas of North America and the Caribbean

Lead in Our Water-A Washington, DC Mystery

Leading Companies Responding to Ecosystem Degradation

Corporate Ecosystem Services Review road-tested by Akzo Nobel,

BC Hydro, Mondi, Rio Tinto, and Syngenta

Eutrophication and Hypoxia in Coastal Areas: A Global Assessment of the State of Knowledge

Eutrophication and Hypoxia

Agricultural Lands by Slope Category

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Topic: water

Corporate Ecosystem Services Review road-tested by Akzo Nobel,

BC Hydro, Mondi, Rio Tinto, and Syngenta

Our Work

WRI Engagement Across the World