Water Demand Will 'Outstrip Supply by 40% Within 20 Years': Climate Change and Pop. Growth

Water demand in many countries will exceed supply by 40 per cent

 within 20 years due to the combined threat of climate change and

population growth , scientists have warned.

A new way of thinking about water is needed as looming shortages

 threaten communities, agriculture and industry, experts said.

In the next two decades, a third of humanity will have only half the

 water required  to meet basic needs, said researchers.

Crisis? Water demand in many countries will exceed supply by 40

per cent within  20 years due climate change and population growth,

 scientists have said

Agriculture, which soaks up 71 per cent of water supplies, is also

 likely to suffer,

 affecting food production.

Filling the global water gap by supply measures alone would cost an

 estimated £124billion per year, a meeting in Canada was told.

.....


Around 300 scientists, policy makers, and economists attended the

 international meeting in Ottawa hosted by the Canadian Water

 Network (CWN) in the run-up to U.S. World Water Day on March 22.

...

The meeting also heard how climate change was increasing the

risk of catastrophic flooding in vulnerable parts of the world.

Flood disasters normally expected once a century - such as those

 witnessed recently in Pakistan and Australia - could now be

occurring every 20 years.

read more...