We are in the era of water bankruptcy, a topic that reveals a hidden web of connections spanning across sectors, borders, and timelines. From CMCC’s latest infographic – that shows how water sits at the centre of an interconnected system linking food production, energy generation, infrastructure, ecosystems, financial stability, and social cohesion –  to the voices of international experts and scientists, World Water Day shines a light on the importance of bringing together research and action. 

Water is the lifeblood of societies, but climate change is reshaping its availability, quality and management, affecting agriculture, economies and ecosystems. Through climate data, technology and integrated governance, CMCC research delivers science-based solutions for resilient water systems in the Mediterranean and beyond.

CMCC’s latest infographic provides the numbers, stories and information needed to make sense of this topic in a visual form. From 180 million people in the Mediterranean already suffering from water scarcity to the per capita availability of renewable water having declined by almost 80% in recent decades, discover how water issues shape our societies and what science can offer when seeking to deal with them.

What sectors use up the most water? How can science inform decision making? What are the future water prospects for the Mediterranean region? CMCC’s infographic also highlights how science can be turned into actionable solutions with positive impacts on communities, ecosystems, water systems and agriculture.

Not just images but also the leading voices in global water research, emerging from the Water. Science and Governance. Navigating Safe Operating Spaces through Research, Policy, and Practice workshop, organised in Venice on 3–5 March 2026 by CMCC together with the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, offer key insights into the role of water in our future societies.

“Extreme events are happening with greater and greater frequency, and it’s not just about the climate system, but also the failure of our hydrological management systems and the infrastructure that we built for the better part of the 20th century,” says CMCC Scientific Director Giulio Boccaletti. “Water is where science has to meet its ultimate client: society. How science confronts climate change is a profoundly interdisciplinary issue, and water is the sharp end of it.”

Water is both an enabler and a hazard, and its governance requires systemic thinking, cross-scale integration, and strong collaboration among scientists, policymakers and communities at a planetary level.

For more information:

Consult the CMCC Water infographic here

Watch our collection of interviews from Venice here

Read our LinkedIn Newsletter here