One of the major problems of today's world is Water scarcity. Water scarcity can broadly be understood as the lack of access to adequate quantities of water for human and environmental use. Like other major problems i.e. Flooding, Soil erosion, Global Warming etc. water scarcity is also a consequence of climate change.
Many developing countries are the victim of water scarcity. Even in countries with adequate water resources water scarcity is not uncommon. Although there are a number of other factors including – collapsed infrastructure, poor management of water resources, contamination, but it is clear that human factors and
climate change are the leading causes.
The impacts of climate change are making water more unpredictable increasing droughts in some parts of the world and floods in other. Due to change in the water cycle the sub-tropical areas such as Australia, North-African countries, and Southern United states are deeply affected by more frequent and longer droughts.
According to UN experts for every 1degree Celsius increase in the global average temperature a 20 percent drop in renewable water sources is expected. The water held in icebergs or underground is diminishing causing water scarcity which consequently limits the access to safe water for drinking and basic hygiene at schools, homes and health-care facilities.
It also increases the chances of sewage contamination and water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis etc. Water is a finite resource and a growing demand. As the population of the world is increasing day by day it is creating an alarming situation around the world and many countries are failing to meet the demands. Scarce water is also expensive, which is an even bigger hurdle for the third world countries to overcome.
According to UNICEF:
1- Four billion people – almost two-third of world's population experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year.
2-Over two billion people live in countries where water supply is inadequate.
3-Half of the world's population could be living in areas facing water by as early as 2025.
4-About 700 million people could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.
5- By 2040—roughly 1 in 4 children worldwide will be living in areas of extremely high water stress.
Agriculture could become a particular challenge. The evaporation of water from soil is accelerated due to the rising temperatures and the unpredictable rainfalls traumatises farming. Excessive rainfall washes away necessary nutrients required for healthy growth, these elements ultimately enter water bodies changing the pH
and quality of water turning it into waste.
As agriculture becomes more difficult it threatens a community's access to food, leading to both acute and chronic hunger. For a developing country like Pakistan water scarcity can be threatening. As we know, Pakistan is an agricultural driven country, water shortage can restrain its growth. Cotton, textile, rice and sugar, which are the major exports will be deeply affected consequently leading to a sharp drop in the GDP.
But water scarcity is not just limited to Pakistan, it is also a global problem. All over the world water emergency is a real crisis. It is high time that world leaders collectively recognised this and offered some solutions before the planet runs out of water.
Many developing countries are the victim of water scarcity. Even in countries with adequate water resources water scarcity is not uncommon. Although there are a number of other factors including – collapsed infrastructure, poor management of water resources, contamination, but it is clear that human factors and
climate change are the leading causes.
The impacts of climate change are making water more unpredictable increasing droughts in some parts of the world and floods in other. Due to change in the water cycle the sub-tropical areas such as Australia, North-African countries, and Southern United states are deeply affected by more frequent and longer droughts.
According to UN experts for every 1degree Celsius increase in the global average temperature a 20 percent drop in renewable water sources is expected. The water held in icebergs or underground is diminishing causing water scarcity which consequently limits the access to safe water for drinking and basic hygiene at schools, homes and health-care facilities.
It also increases the chances of sewage contamination and water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis etc. Water is a finite resource and a growing demand. As the population of the world is increasing day by day it is creating an alarming situation around the world and many countries are failing to meet the demands. Scarce water is also expensive, which is an even bigger hurdle for the third world countries to overcome.
According to UNICEF:
1- Four billion people – almost two-third of world's population experience severe water scarcity for at least one month each year.
2-Over two billion people live in countries where water supply is inadequate.
3-Half of the world's population could be living in areas facing water by as early as 2025.
4-About 700 million people could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.
5- By 2040—roughly 1 in 4 children worldwide will be living in areas of extremely high water stress.
Agriculture could become a particular challenge. The evaporation of water from soil is accelerated due to the rising temperatures and the unpredictable rainfalls traumatises farming. Excessive rainfall washes away necessary nutrients required for healthy growth, these elements ultimately enter water bodies changing the pH
and quality of water turning it into waste.
As agriculture becomes more difficult it threatens a community's access to food, leading to both acute and chronic hunger. For a developing country like Pakistan water scarcity can be threatening. As we know, Pakistan is an agricultural driven country, water shortage can restrain its growth. Cotton, textile, rice and sugar, which are the major exports will be deeply affected consequently leading to a sharp drop in the GDP.
But water scarcity is not just limited to Pakistan, it is also a global problem. All over the world water emergency is a real crisis. It is high time that world leaders collectively recognised this and offered some solutions before the planet runs out of water.