The Hindu Business Line : Global water crisis ahead, says UN report

NEW YORK: A new United Nations report has warned that the growth in global population, climate change, widespread mismanagement and increasing demand for energy could lead to a major global water crisis.

As the world's population has increased to well over 6 billion people, some countries have already reached the limits of their water resources, the report compiled by 24 UN agencies says.

“Climate change is going to make this situation worse,” said Mr William Cosgrove, Content Coordinator for the UN World Water Development Report.

“Not just because it's going to increase climate variability but because generally it's going to increase the stresses on water resources in the places where they already exist,” Mr Cosgrove told a news conference.

Due to climate change, the report estimated that almost half the world's population will be living in areas of high water stress by 2030, including between 75 million and 250 million people in Africa.

In addition, water scarcity in some arid and semi-arid places will displace between 24 million and 700 million people. There is a strong link between poverty and water resources, the report noted, with the number of people living on less than $1.25 a day approximately coinciding with the number of those without access to safe drinking water. - PTI

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