© Thomas Cristofoletti / WWF-US, inset © Gerry Ryan / WWF-Greater Mekong FRESHWATER 2018 THE CHALLENGE WATER IS OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE -SOMETHING THAT FARMING, INDUSTRY, HUMAN BEINGS AND ALL LIFE ON LAND DEPEND ON. SINCE 1900, WE'VE DESTROYED TWO-THIRDS OF ALL NATURAL WETLANDS AND FRAGMENTED RIVER SYSTEMS THROUGH DAMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT. TODAY, NEARLY TWO BILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN AREAS AT RISK FROM SEVERE WATER SCARCITY WHILE NUMBERS OF FRESHWATER ANIMALS HAVE FALLEN BY OVER THREEQUARTERS IN LESS THAN 50 YEARS. WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND INCREASING DEMAND FURTHER DEEPENING THIS CRISIS, WE MUST ACT URGENTLY. Our goal; freshwater ecosystems and their services sustain people and nature. WWF-INT Strategy Report 2018 page 20