WATER AND ECONOMIC GROWTH OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Water is natural resource necessary for the growth of every economy and it is found at the center of social and economic development. It is significant for human health and food production, environmental management and creation of new work places. However, if its availability and quality are not sufficiently taken into account, there are negative repercussions on the economy and population. Only 0.26% of the total amount of fresh water on Earth is found in lakes and river systems. In other words, only 0.26% of the total fresh water quantity is available for economic purposes and it is vital,for water ecosystems (UNESCO). Global fresh water resources are limited and not equally distributed around the world and, as such, put management challenges for those with too much drinking water, and especially for those with too little drinking water. The world is increasingly facing water scarcity. More worrying is the fact that more than 40% of people in the world are affected by water scarcity. With the rise in global temperature resulting from climate changes, it is estimated that this percentage will continue to rise. Given the close cause-effect relationship between water and economic growth, the question is whether water scarcity can limit the economic growth of countries. There is little research on this in the Southeastern Europe. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to determine the connection between fresh water and the economic growth of the Southeastern European geospatial area, and to make a recommendation whose implementation could affect the preservation and increase of its availability in the mentioned group of countries. The research results indicate that there is a link between economic growth and renewable fresh water sources in the countries of Southeastern Europe.