Water scarcity is already widespread and remains on the rise: it is found in nearly every region in the world. Around 36% of the world’s population is currently living in water-scarce regions. This publication shows that avoiding, reducing and reversing land degradation have positive long-term gains in water security. As land degradation and water scarcity are closely linked, and water is the most disruptive element in the on-going climate change crisis, how land is managed plays a major role in taming this disruption.