World Economic Forum's 'Year of Water' Raises Fears of Corporate Control

The World Economic Forum has designated 2026 as the “Year of Water,” promoting a “Blue Davos” agenda that bundles freshwater, ocean policy, food security and the blue economy under a single institutional framework. Critics argue that this initiative could enable a handful of multinational corporations and their political allies to dictate who receives water, at what price, and under what conditions, effectively turning water access into a managed commodity.

The article cites Bill Gates warning that human activity could trigger a sixth mass extinction, with water scarcity as a key driver. It also highlights Nestlé’s former CEO Peter Brabeck‑Letmathe as a prominent figure in the push to treat water as a managed resource. The piece warns of a looming “water war” in which oligarchs seek to consolidate control over the planet’s most essential resource.