The blue water footprint of producing steel, cement, paper, plastics, and rubber doubled worldwide from 25.1 billion m³ in 1995 to 50.7 billion m³ in 2021, according to a landmark study published 30 October in Nature Sustainability (DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01661-2). This surge pushed material production’s share of global freshwater use from 2.8% to 4.7%, with East and South Asia seeing a 267% increase. The findings expose a hidden driver of water scarcity in industrializing nations.
Led by Dr. Asaf Tzachor, Vice Dean of Sustainability at Reichman University, the study tracked 16 key materials across 164 countries using input-output models and water-use data. Steel alone accounted for 39% of the 2021 footprint, followed by paper (18%) and plastics (9%). While OECD nations cut their footprint by 11%, developing regions now consume over two-thirds of the total.
“Material demand is exploding with population, urbanization, and wealth,” Tzachor warned. “Without a water-materials nexus approach, we risk cascading crises in water-stressed hotspots like India, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.”
Projections to 2050
Under business-as-usual scenarios, the combined footprint of plastics, cement, steel, aluminum, and copper could rise 179% by mid-century, claiming up to 9% of global freshwater—rivaling agriculture in some basins.
Co-author Prof. Heming Wang (Northeastern University, China) stressed dual benefits: “Water-efficient manufacturing delivers ecological and economic gains. Integrating efficiency into industrial policy is now non-negotiable.”
Policy Recommendations
- Hotspot interventions: Subsidies for drip cooling, closed-loop systems, and recycling in high-impact plants.
- Circular design: Tax incentives for recycled steel and bio-based plastics.
- Transparency: Mandate water-footprint labeling for construction and consumer goods.
“This is the virtual water of the Anthropocene,” Tzachor concluded. “Ignoring it threatens both planetary boundaries and industrial resilience.”
Journal
Nature Sustainability
DOI
Credit
Oz Schechter
