Opening address of the 10th Stockholm Water Symposium

One third of the world's population lives in countries with some level of water stress, a number that could increase to two thirds by the year 2025. Twenty percent of the world's population in 30 countries face water shortage, a figure that could rise to 30% of the world's population in 50 countries by 2025. One thousand freshwater fish species - and 1000 bird species - have been pushed to the edge of extinction by contamination of water.