
Listen: The lack of access to clean, drinkable water is a critical issue affecting billions of people across the globe. On the GZERO World podcast, Gilbert Houngbo, Chair of UN-Water and former Prime Minister of Togo, talks with host Ian Bremmer about global efforts to protect the world's most precious resource.
Water is something many take for granted, but four billion people—half the world’s population—experience at least a month of severe water scarcity each year, Houngbo explains, and two billion others lack reliable water access all year round. To address the global water challenge, Houngbo calls for a multi-pronged approach of investment water-related infrastructure and technology, as well as good governance and policy. "As a global society, we have taken water for granted," Houngbo says, "Water has to become everyone's business."
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