Groundwater has provided great benefits to agriculture irrigation in semi-arid OECD
countries, but its intensive use beyond recharge in certain regions has depleted resources
and generated significant negative environmental externalities. The report provides
a characterisation of the diversity of groundwater systems, reviews policies in OECD
countries, and proposes a package of recommendations to ensure that groundwater can
sustain its services to agriculture and contribute to climate change adaptation.
Published on September 28, 2015Also available in: French