Within the next few decades, the lack of freshwater in certain areas of the globe will intensify and cause one of the greatest challenges to the world’s population. This week we share several interesting articles describing the growing challenges of the diminishing freshwater supply from the United States to China.
These Maps of California’s Water Shortage Are Terrifying Mother Jones
“California’s Sacramento and San Joaquin river basins have lost roughly 15 cubic kilometers of total water per year since 2011.”
World faces ‘insurmountable’ water crisis by 2040 – report RT.com
“If present trends continue there could be a 40 percent gap between water supply and demand by 2030.”
Worldwide Water Shortage by 2040 Science Daily
“In fact, the results predict that by 2020 about 30-40% of the world will have water scarcity, and according to the researchers, climate change can make this even worse.”
In the Wake of Toledo, We Need Innovations to Prevent a World Water Crisis Washington Post
“Slightly more than 40 percent of all water used within the United States is used for thermoelectric cooling.”
A World Without Water Financial Times
“Water scarcity is starting to hit the balance sheets of multinationals, who have spent more than $84bn managing their water usage in the last three years.”
“Water is needed for almost every aspect of energy production, from digging up fossil fuels to refining oil and generating power, and the amount of water consumed by the sector is on track to double within the next 25 years, according to the International Energy Agency.”
If You Think the Water Crisis Can’t Get Worse, Wait Until the Aquifers Are Drained National Geographic
“A new satellite study from the University of California, Irvine and NASA indicates that the Colorado River Basin lost 65 cubic kilometers (15.6 cubic miles) of water from 2004 to 2013.”
China’s Looming Water Crisis The Ecologist
“According to Jiang Liping, senior irrigation specialist at the World Bank in Beijing, China is over-exploiting its groundwater by 22 billion cubic meters a year – yet per capita water consumption is less than one third of the global average.”
Why Global Water Shortages Pose Threat of Terror and War The Guardian
“In seven years, beginning in 2003, parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers lost 144 cubic kilometres of stored freshwater – or about the same amount of water in the Dead Sea.”
The Thirsty West: 10 Percent of California’s Water Goes to Almond Farming Slate
“California almonds use a stunning 1.1 trillion gallons of water each year, or enough for you to take a 10-minute shower each day for 86 million years (using a low-flow showerhead, of course).”
Brazil drought crisis leads to rationing and tensions The Guardian
“After the driest six months since records began 84 years ago, the volume of the Cantareira system has fallen to 10.7% of its capacity, raising alarms for the nearby urban population of 20 million people.”
India’s Worsening Water Crisis The Diplomat
“The World Bank predicts that India only has 20 years before its aquifers will reach ‘critical condition’ – when demand for water will outstrip supply – an eventuality that will devastate the region’s food security, economic growth and livelihoods.”