The GCC countries recorded a 3 percent decline in the annual rate of groundwater extraction over the past nine years, alongside an increase in the share of renewable water resources, which reached 25.5 percent in 2024.

This data, issued by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat), reflects the growing focus on implementing sustainable water resource management policies, it said.

The GCC countries continue to pursue strategic policies aimed at enhancing the sustainability of water resources and achieving water security for future generations through reducing dependence on groundwater and increasing the share of renewable water resources within the overall water resource system, said a WAM news agency report.

The centre noted that this transformation comes within the framework of GCC efforts aimed at addressing water scarcity and climate change challenges, while enhancing the efficiency of water resource utilisation through expanding desalination projects, reusing treated water, and adopting modern technologies in water management and consumption rationalisation.

The increase in the contribution of renewable water resources within the overall water resource mix reflects the GCC countries’ orientation toward diversifying water sources and reducing pressure on groundwater reserves, thereby supporting sustainable development plans and strengthening water security across the region during the coming phase, said the report.