Groundwater is a vital yet often overlooked resource, constituting 99% of the world’s liquid freshwater and supporting drinking water, agriculture, ecosystems, and industry. The 21st century presents unprecedented challenges: climate change alters recharge patterns, glacier melting and permafrost thaw reshapes subsurface flow in the Tibetan plateau, and human activities—such as over-extraction and urbanization—deplete and contaminate aquifers. These pressures exacerbate sea-level rise and ecological degradation, threatening coastal zones and biodiversity.

The talk emphasizes the interconnectedness of groundwater with global systems, from sustaining rivers during droughts to enabling virtual water trade in food production. Case studies—like aquifer depletion in the North China Plain, sinking coastal cities, and fossil water mining in Saudi Arabia—highlight unsustainable practices. Solutions require integrated management, such as managed aquifer recharge, policy reforms, and public education. The call to action stresses building human capacity, advancing sustainable practices, and addressing water poverty to ensure groundwater’s role in achieving UN sustainability goals and mitigating the global water crisis.