Protecting the World's Freshwater

Learn how our Explorers are preserving the world’s freshwater resources.

Understanding freshwater is critical for life on Earth and is an integral part of the National Geographic Society’s mission.

Our World Water Map – part of the newly launched World Freshwater Initiative (WFI) – accounts for every drop of water in the world – and where it’s going. Experience this map with real-life stories about freshwater challenges and solutions told by National Geographic Explorers who are working to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.

World Water Map: Insights

Dive deeper into global freshwater issues with World Water Map: Insights. Building on the original World Water Map, World Water Map: Insights introduces enhanced tools for exploring water availability trends across geographic scales—from the global to the local watershed level. This interactive resource allows users to analyze data on water withdrawal, balance, supply-demand gaps, and sector-specific demand; model past, present, and future water availability scenarios through 2100; and create compelling graphics, animations, and reports. Learn more about how this tool can inform decision-making, storytelling, and a more comprehensive understanding of the science and geography of water.

MapMaker: World Water Map

The World Water Map is now available for learners in National Geographic MapMaker, a digital mapping tool for the classroom. With this new set of maps, learners can explore questions such as: Which areas of the world are using the most water? What are they using it for? And, what steps can we take as individuals, communities and a global society to ensure that we have enough water for the future?

We invest every philanthropic dollar—100 percent of donations—directly into our Explorers and programs.

For 135 years, the National Geographic Society has funded intrepid and passionate individuals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery and illuminating our world. The Society not only supports Explorers through funding, but also through professional development, training, leadership and speaking opportunities, community building, and connections.

What we are doing to protect the world's freshwater

World Freshwater Initiative (WFI)

In many locations on Earth humans and our way of living on the planet are placing unsustainable demands on the supply of freshwater. National Geographic’s World Freshwater Initiative focuses on freshwater availability, quality, and sustainability by leveraging the development of a one of a kind geovisualization of the world’s freshwater availability.

Over the next five years, WFI will fund National Geographic Explorers working in freshwater science, conservation, education, and storytelling.

Freshwater Conservation Grantees

Image credit: Martin Gamache for M Leijnse, M F P Bierkens, K H M Gommans, D Lin, B Droppers, A Tait and N Wanders

In September 2024, the National Geographic Society announced four new Explorers, supported through its World Freshwater Initiative. These Explorers will collaborate with local communities on freshwater conservation solutions in water gap “hotspots,” where demand exceeds supply. Their work will span four countries. Learn more here.

Okavango Wilderness Project

The Okavango Basin is the main source of water for a million people and is one of the most biodiverse places in Africa. Since 2015, the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project has been surveying and collecting scientific data on the Okavango River system in collaboration with local communities; NGOs; and the governments of Angola, Namibia, and Botswana to secure permanent, sustainable protection for the greater Okavango River Basin.

Perpetual Planet Expeditions

The National Geographic Society and Rolex have partnered to support trailblazing scientific research, expeditions, and solutions to increase our understanding of the threats facing the planet’s life support systems and drive action to address them. We most recently launched the Perpetual Planet Amazon Expedition – a multi-year science and storytelling exploration of the Amazon spanning the river basin from the Andes to the Atlantic to tell the story of the water and the wildlife, plants and people who depend on it.

Meet the Explorers making an impact

We’re committed to pushing the boundaries of science, storytelling, and education, and we’re making exploration more inclusive. We’re tapping scientists, educators, and storytellers in more than 140 countries; amplifying the voices of diverse groups of Explorers; and working closely with local communities.

Ecohydrologist

Ghaamid Abdulbasat

Abdulbasat co-chairs the International Union for Conservation of Nature's World Commission on Protected Areas Freshwater youth sub-group, working on influencing policy on the future of water.

Storyteller

Caitlin Ochs

Caitlin Ochs is a New York-based visual storyteller focused on documenting the impacts of climate change through the lens of water. Her current work as a National Geographic Explorer investigates southwestern farmers on the front lines of climate change.

Ecologist

Dalal Emily Lucia Hanna

Hanna’s research primarily focuses on improving understanding of the effects of forestry on freshwaters. She aims to use her research findings to inform freshwater conservation policy. She is also co-founder and director of Riparia, a Canadian charity that works to create better connections between young women and science on the water.

Anthropologist

Jens Stefan Benöhr

Benöhr’s specializes in the ecological interactions between human populations and bodies of water.

Researcher

Safa Fanaian

Fanaian’s Ph.D. research focuses on the evolution of water-related risks and its governance for riverine cities in the global south, specifically intermediate and growing cities with populations over one million.

Conservationist

Enrique Lomnitz

Lomnitz is an industrial designer focused on water access and sustainability. He works on the development of decentralized, autonomous water infrastructure for communities facing high levels of water insecurity in both urban and rural Mexico.

Geographer

Marc Bierkens

Bierkens is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, a member of the European Geosciences Union and the International Association of Hydrological Sciences and is editor for Water Resources Research.

Social Entrepreneur

Garvita Gulhati

Gulhati, known as "India's Water Girl," began her journey as a changemaker at the age of 13. She founded “Why Waste?,” India’s largest youth-led organization working towards the conservation of water.

Researcher

Shreya Ramachandran

Ramachandran is the founder of the nonprofit organization The Grey Water Project which promotes the safe reuse of greywater (lightly used water that makes up 60% of the used water in our homes) and water conservation as a way to battle droughts and climate change.

Join us to learn and protect the wonder of our world

Only when people understand the challenges of freshwater supply will they be able to take action to impact sustainability for the future.

Donate now to help support projects like preserving the world’s freshwater.

Opportunities for the next generation of changemakers

Photo credits (from top of page): Mauro Sergio, Jonathan Irish, Kostadin Luchansky, Pablo Albarenga, Ghaamid Abdulbasat, Jens Stefan Benöhr, Marc Bierkens, Thalefang Charles, Safa Fanaian, Garvita Gulhati, Dalal Emily Lucia Hanna, Enrique Lomnitz, Shreya Ramachandran, Karabo Moilwa, Kostadin Luchansky, Xavier Lorenzo/AdobeStock, Mark Thiessen, Esther Ruth Mbabazi