 The study found that global water stress has increased significantly since 1960 due to rising water demands, particularly for irrigation. Increased water demand was responsible for heightening water stress in many regions, including India and North China, where it could be as much as 200 percent. Additionally, climate variability was often a major contributor to extreme events, but in some cases, such as India, Romania, and Cuba, these events were caused by increased water demand rather than climate change. This article was authored by YWATA, LPH Van Beek and MFP Birkins.