By 2030, water demand could exceed supply by 40% thanks to population growth, urbanization and climate change, plunging half of the world into critical water stress.
There’s consequently an urgent need to bring in new techniques to rein in water usage (notably through smart irrigation in agriculture) and to upgrade an ageing infrastructure to prevent leaks.
Governments around the world are taking notice, with for instance the US government in the early stages of a massive investment plan. These new infrastructure policies are also the opportunity to adopt eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient devices and monitoring tech.
Longer term, as supply issues persist, water recycling and desalination should become major alternative supply sources as they become cost-competitive and as technology improves.
Only 1% of used water is recycled globally but it’s obvious that water is becoming too precious to be used only once. Governments are then heading towards more supportive recycling regulations and new technologies allowing to better remove water pollutants are emerging.
As saltwater accounts for 97% of earth’s total water volume, desalination techniques, which have long been costlier and more energy-intensive than other water supply sources, are increasingly being considered as a serious solution thanks to improving economics and green credentials.
Water and ocean preservation is also core in the environment discussion. Notably, plastic pollution starts to be addressed as, if nothing is done, there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish by 2050 according to the World Economic Forum. Regulators and consumers alike are developing an increased awareness towards the issue of microplastic pollution that humans drink, eat and breathe.
The shipping industry is also in the early stages of its electric transition with hydrogen and fuel cell technology providing a compelling path for the decarbonization of the maritime sector.
In recent weeks, awareness has grown that water is becoming both a major challenge for data center developers and a major opportunity for water technology companies—suggesting the water theme could emerge as a derivative play on AI and further boost our portfolio performance (up 18% YTD, largely outperforming all water funds/ETFs). A clear example came…
Ecolab has announced plans to acquire Ovivo’s electronics division for $1.8 billion, a strategic move designed to bolster its position in the fast-growing semiconductor water technology market. The transaction will create a robust, integrated platform capable of delivering advanced circular water management solutions to microelectronics manufacturers—helping them significantly reduce freshwater usage while maintaining high output…
Synapse Invest was founded in 2019 with the mission of offering a diverse range of thematic investment products centered around innovation. Our journey began with the launch of our first Actively Managed Certificates (AMCs) in the closing weeks of 2019, and we are now proud to celebrate more than five years of consistent growth and…
There has been a lot of talk lately about the implications of surging AI usage. While the focus has been on electric power consumption, the water intensity of data centers should also emerge as a major challenge going forward. Indeed, AI is catalyzing a shift towards power-hungry “monster chips” that are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain…
If the narrative about water scarcity mainly focuses about the impact of shortages on our daily lives and key industries (agriculture, beverages…), a new kind of consumers is also affected and will have to treat and reuse increasing amounts of water: semiconductor companies and, more globally, the data center industry. Silicon wafers undergo multiple steps…
Since their development by Dupont in the 1930s and subsequent widespread manufacturing by 3M in the 1950s, Polyfluroalkyl substances (PFAS) – commonly known as forever chemicals – have raised significant concerns due to the alarming consequences associated with the accumulation of these chemicals in the human body. Notably, exposure to specific PFAS compounds has been…
Water scarcity is a growing concern in today’s world, with more than 3 billion people around the planet already living in water-stressed countries. Moreover, as the global population continues to expand and urbanization accelerates, the demand for clean water is rising rapidly. Consequently, the need for innovative water technologies is becoming more urgent than ever,…
Contrary to many innovative industries, water technology companies have been largely absent from the M&A scene in the last couple of years. This is quite surprising given that water technology represents, in our view, an attractive fit for industrial and testing/diagnostics companies seeking to find new avenues of growth and, potentially, to reduce their revenue…
As federal funding to modernize the US water infrastructure is gradually being rolled out and as extreme droughts hit most parts of the world last summer, water companies’ Q3 earnings were mostly overwhelming against a tough macro backdrop, a clear reminder that water is a secular theme will little macro sensitivity. On the infrastructure side…
If California has been a driving force behind the rise of clean energies and adoption of electric vehicles, it could soon take on the same role in the blue revolution. Governor Gavin Newsom recently released a plan called “California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future” aimed at improving water supply amid…
Many countries around the world have been hit by record droughts and implemented water restrictions in recent weeks, a harsh reminder that, today, roughly 40% of the people on Earth live in a water stressed region and that this number is expected to climb to 60% in a near future. Secular trends like urbanization, climate…
While there’s been a lot of talk about the increasing number of droughts across the world in relation with climate change (recent restrictions on outdoor watering in Southern California being the latest example), there’s also been, quite ironically, an increasing number of devastating floods as the rapid urbanization pace reduces the land available to absorb…
Corporate sustainability is gradually waking up to the global water risk, with large companies such as PepsiCo and Facebook pledging in recent weeks to become net water positive by 2030, meaning that they will contribute more water to the ecosystem than they consume. After “carbon neutral”, “net water positive” could soon become the new green…
On August 3rd, California water regulators voted a water restriction impacting thousands of farmers in the Sacramento and San Joaquin watersheds. Permission is now required to divert more than 55 gallons of water per day from rivers or streams. This (ridiculously low) limit further illustrates one of the worst droughts in California, which is in…
If nothing is done, there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish by 2050 according to the World Economic Forum. As a result, regulators and consumers alike are developing an increased awareness towards the issue of microplastic pollution that humans drink, eat and breathe. Accordingly, the packaging industry is set to undergo radical…
After weeks of heavy rain and floods in large parts of Europe, it can be weird to talk about water shortages and solutions to tackle this challenge. But the reality is that, today, roughly 40% of the people on earth live in a water stressed region and this number is expected to climb to 60%…
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ISIN
DE000US778A6
Currency
USD
Type
Active Equity
Issuer / Rating
Kepler – UBS / S&P A+
Inception Date
01.07.2021
Liquidity
Daily