Many of us in the developed world rarely think about water scarcity. We can trust that at home, work and everywhere in between, we will have access to as much water as we need or want whenever we need it or want it. However, that's certainly not true everywhere. In fact, nearly half of the world's population currently lives in areas that face water scarcity for at least one month out of every year with the situation worsening in many of those geographies, day by day.

Furthermore, over 1.2 billion people lack access to the clean drinking water and the gap between global water supply and demand is expected to reach 40% by 2030. Without access to water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and other daily uses, we know that much of the rest of society can fray, creating not just public health issues but economic and geopolitical problems. The crux of the issue is not only about hydration, as much of the global economy depends on water. From food to vaccines, mining to energy – every single economic output relies on access to water.

The latest episode of Living Beyond Borders, a special podcast series from GZERO Media brought to you by Citi Private Bank, examines the pressing issue of global water scarcity and what businesses, nonprofits, communities and governments can do to address it. Moderated by Mikaela McQuade, Director of Energy, Climate & Resources at Eurasia Group, this episode features Harlin Singh, Global Head of Sustainable Investing at Citi Global Wealth and Franck Gbaguidi, Senior Analyst of Energy, Climate & Resources at Eurasia Group.