Water scarcity is no longer a distant threat. According to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, roughly half the world's population experiences severe water shortages for at least part of the year. Climate change, population growth, and rising demand are expected to push that figure higher. The pressures are not uniform: in the arid United Arab Emirates, drinking water comes almost entirely from desalination; in Uzbekistan, vast irrigation networks carry water across dry landscapes to feed farmland. Both countries are turning to technology and infrastructure to stretch every drop further.
Desalination and recycling in the UAE
The UAE has long adapted to its arid climate. Centuries before modern desalination, traditional falaj systems channeled water through settlements and farms, sustaining local economies. Abdulla Balalaa, the UAE's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, notes these systems were engineered over 1,000 years ago. Today, desalination supplies most of the country's drinking water, and Balalaa says the UAE has achieved universal access. Newer technologies, including artificial intelligence, are now being applied to the sector.
As cities grow, reusing water becomes critical. Few places demonstrate this better than the International Space Station, where Emirati astronaut Dr Sultan Al Neyadi spent six months. “Every drop on board the International Space Station is accounted for,” he says. “We recycle about 95% of our water.” The station's multi-stage filtration system recovers water for drinking, hygiene, and oxygen production—a model for closed-loop resource management.
The UAE is also pushing water up the international agenda. It will co-host the 2026 UN Water Conference with Senegal in Abu Dhabi from 8 to 10 December, bringing together governments, businesses, and organisations to discuss investment, technology, and innovation. Balalaa stresses that solutions will vary by location, but technology, financing, and cooperation are essential to turn ideas into projects.
Modernising irrigation in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan faces a different challenge: moving water over long distances without losing it. In the Fergana Valley, a World Bank-backed project launched in 2017 has modernised irrigation infrastructure. At one site, water from local springs is pumped about nine kilometres to areas with historically difficult access. The new pumping station and pipeline are expected to improve irrigation for around 9,740 hectares of farmland.
More reliable irrigation has opened up previously hard-to-cultivate land. At an orchard in the valley, drip irrigation delivers water to peach trees planted in 2024; the farm harvested about 200 tonnes of fruit the following year. Farther west, the Amu-Bukhara Machine Canal pumps water from the Amu Darya across the desert, irrigating more than 350,000 hectares in Bukhara and Navoi regions and supplying drinking water to Bukhara and Kogon. The new Amu-Bukhara-1 pumping station, part of a wider modernisation, uses digital controls to track water and electricity use, cutting energy consumption by up to 15%.
Preventing losses is just as important as moving water. In parts of Bukhara, seepage once accounted for around 37% of water losses, according to Sherzod Sharipov of the regional water delivery service. Canals are now being lined with concrete to reduce seepage and provide steadier flows. Farmer Hikmat Nazrullayev recalls that large amounts of water once disappeared before reaching his wheat and cotton fields; since the lining, irrigation has become easier.
The irrigation network also supports the wider environment. Drainage and return flows from farmland feed Dengizkul, a wetland of international importance in Bukhara region and a key resting site for migratory birds. Professor Malika Ikramova, a water engineering expert, explains that the lake receives water from precipitation, groundwater, and irrigation drainage. Though highly mineralised, it supports fisheries and birdlife. As populations grow and climate conditions shift, Ikramova emphasises the need to reduce losses, improve water accounting, and expand water-saving irrigation. “We are going to have to adapt,” she says.
These efforts echo broader European concerns. From water disputes in Austria to AI's water footprint, the continent is grappling with similar pressures. The lessons from the UAE and Uzbekistan—recycling, modernising infrastructure, and international cooperation—offer a roadmap for a water-stressed world.
