MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. Freshwater reserves in Russia are not declining, but growing, despite the overall global water shortage, Boris Titov, special envoy of the Russian President on relations with international organizations for sustainable development goals, told TASS.
"The value of water on planet Earth is rapidly growing. Here's a key new UN report: the world has moved from a state of water crisis to a state of global 'water bankruptcy. Four billion people experience acute water shortages at least one month a year; 3 billion live in areas where overall water reserves are declining " Titov said.
As he recalled, this is not the first time the Iranian President has spoken of the need to move the capital from Tehran closer to the southern coast, with water shortages being one of the key reasons, along with air pollution and soil subsidence.
"China, the global economic barometer, has set a goal of reducing water consumption per unit of GDP by more than 10% over the next five years. And if China sets a goal, it's truly significant. The largest consumer of fresh water is agriculture (65-70%), followed by industry (about 20%) and utilities (about 10%). But another thirsty industry has emerged. Which is AI," the official said.
"According to various estimates, ChatGPT consumes between 500 ml and 1.5 liters of clean water to generate a 100-word text, while a 20-30-question dialogue with a neural network costs the world 1.5 liters of clean water, which data centers use to cool equipment," he noted.
According to Titov, meanwhile, Russia's water resources in 2024 exceeded the long-term average by 5%.
"Our country is one of the few where freshwater reserves aren't declining, but actually growing. Although not without problems: 90% of the runoff is in the north and east, while 70% of the population and economy are concentrated in the European part. I think in the future, our logistics – both domestic and, most importantly, export – may change slightly due to the new item," he said.