Water Exploitation Index (WEI)

Better information will help us adapt The Water Exploitation Index (WEI) is a good example of the type of information needed to give an overview of the scale and location of the problems facing us

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In simple terms, the index shows available water resources in a country or region compared to the amount of water used. An index of over 20 % usually indicates water scarcity. As the graph shows, nine countries are considered;water stressed: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Spain, and the United Kingdom (England and Wales). WEI data are available for England and show that the South East and London are especially stressed. This level of information is key in terms of effective adaptation to climate change. By understanding how much water is available in a region, where it is coming from and who uses it, we will be able to build effective local strategies to adapt to climate change.

Water Exploitation Index (WEI)

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