The Facts

• Humanity is racing towards a massive food and economic crisis amid burgeoning water shortages, especially in countries producing a quarter of the world's crops.Humanity faces a massive food and economic crisis amid worsening water shortages, particularly in regions producing 25-50% of the world's food crops.

• The OECD-backed Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW) has said the brewing water crisis may cut high-income nations' GDP growth by 8%.A report published Wednesday by the OECD-backed Global Commission on the Economics of Water said the crisis may cut high-income nations' GDP by 8%.