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World could face water 40 per cent shortfall in just 15 years, UN report warns
Friday 20 March 2015
The UN has urged world leaders to rethink water policies or face a 40 per cent shortfall in just 15 years.
A combination of low underwater reserves and erratic rainfall patterns caused by climate change, has brought the problem to the fore according to a report which stresses how water resources are essential to achieving global sustainability.
These factors are compounded by the fact that the world’s population is growing, and expected to reach 9 billion in 2050. This means more groundwater will be needed for farming, industry and personal consumption.
The UN’s annual World Water Development report predicts that as reserves dwindle, global water demand will increase 55 per cent by 2050. If current usage does not change, the world will have only 60% of the water it needs in 2030, it said.
If this became a reality, the consequences would be catastrophic. Crops could fail, ecosystems could break down, industries could collapse, disease and poverty could worsen, and violent conflicts over access to water could become more frequent.
"Unless the balance between demand and finite supplies is restored, the world will face an increasingly severe global water deficit,” the document released two days before World Water Day reads.
World could face water 40 per cent shortfall in just 15 years, UN report warns - World Politics - World - The Independent
Friday 20 March 2015
The UN has urged world leaders to rethink water policies or face a 40 per cent shortfall in just 15 years.
A combination of low underwater reserves and erratic rainfall patterns caused by climate change, has brought the problem to the fore according to a report which stresses how water resources are essential to achieving global sustainability.
These factors are compounded by the fact that the world’s population is growing, and expected to reach 9 billion in 2050. This means more groundwater will be needed for farming, industry and personal consumption.
The UN’s annual World Water Development report predicts that as reserves dwindle, global water demand will increase 55 per cent by 2050. If current usage does not change, the world will have only 60% of the water it needs in 2030, it said.
If this became a reality, the consequences would be catastrophic. Crops could fail, ecosystems could break down, industries could collapse, disease and poverty could worsen, and violent conflicts over access to water could become more frequent.
"Unless the balance between demand and finite supplies is restored, the world will face an increasingly severe global water deficit,” the document released two days before World Water Day reads.
World could face water 40 per cent shortfall in just 15 years, UN report warns - World Politics - World - The Independent
