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You are here: Home» Water Security» Soil Security» Food Security» Forest » Nato Water security and Causes The effects of climate change are being
felt now: temperatures are rising, icecaps and glaciers are melting
and extreme of weather are becoming more frequent and more intense.
Climate change will alter rainfall patterns and further aggravate
water scarcity issue.
Water scarcity
can be defined as the ability to access
sufficient quantities of clean water to maintain adequate standards
of food and goods production, sanitation and health.
Factors causing water scarcity
As agriculture is the biggest water user, accounting for about 70% of total use, with 90% in Africa and 40% in the US. Water shortage causes poor agricultural yield, loss of animal wealth in farmlands, and food insecurity. The North China Plain, the Punjab farmland and the U.S. southern Great Plains, which are leading grain-producing regions are adversely affected thus.
Water scarcity is also causing increasing environmental stress. In the construction of huge dams, river flow is intercepted, endangering the dependent creatures. It is estimated that 24% of mammals, 12% of birds, 1/3 of the studied 10% of freshwater fish species will be threatened. There are significant health impacts of water shortages. Water-borne diseases account for roughly 80% of infections in the developing world.
Global water withdrawal in 2000 is estimated to be 30% of the world’s total accessible fresh water supply. By 2025 that fraction may reach 70%. Over pumping of ground water already exceeds natural replenishment. The struggle to control water resources has been a source of tension wherever water resources are shared by neighboring countries. Besides causing civil unrest, water shortage has the potential to cause significant economic losses, even in robust economies
The World Health Organization
estimates that, globally, 1.1 billion people lack access to clean
water supplies, and that 2.4 billion lack access to basic
sanitation. 1,000 m3 is the per capita annual amount of
water deemed necessary to satisfy basic human needs. In 1995 166
million people in 18 countries lived below that level. By 2050
potable water availability is projected to fall below that level for
1.7 billion people in 39 countries. Water shortages now plague
almost every country in North Africa and the Middle East. Addressing water security issues is thus gaining urgency each day as many parts of the world are now facing severe water shortages. Central to it is the close linkage between energy and water securities. Many forms of energy production need water, e.g., generations of hydroelectricity, thermal and geothermal power, extraction of oil from conventional oil wells and the production of hydrogen fuel in future. The Third Preparatory Committee meeting of the Ministerial Process of the Fifth World Water Forum, hosted by the Turkish Government and co-organized by the World Water Council, 21- 23 Jan 2009: has gathered delegates from over 60 countries. Fervent negotiations are on to call for global action with strong political will to address climate change so as to achieve water, food and energy security.
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