Economic Research on the Global Allocation of Scarce Water Resources Needs Better Data

Water sustainability is central to modern political and academic debates. Despite increasing efforts promote regional global integrated water management, climate change, population, economic growth, consumption of water-intensive goods project higher deficiency. Robust analyses rely on information about supply across different production sectors, type procurement source (public or private supply), prices. Nevertheless, developing current future assessments indicators impeded by the absence data. lack official national statistics withdrawal consumption, a small number international databases have been constructed attempt combine available into databases. do not commonly define and/or distinguish terms such as use, supply, abstraction, associated aspects scarcity sustainability. They comprise variable data quality, provided numerous sources, estimated values. This paper evaluates state knowledge statistics, We describe collection methods, identify basic concepts definitions terms, followed criteria consistent inform availability regions, present content national, international, The results show inconsistencies definitions, suggesting no evidence harmonization among Therefore, our study cautions researchers be careful when manipulating comparing data, especially deriving policy recommendations conclusions. In long run, headway research depend enforcements refine meaningfulness support collection, reporting, monitoring. Alternatively, in short- medium-run, challenges can addressed joint for harmonization.