HUNGER, POVERTY AND LACK OF EDUCATION
Hunger is a serious effect of the lack of freshwater resources as it has a direct impact on crops and livestock. Apart from dehydration water scarcity can also lead to food shortages and starvation. Lack of water also interferes with the day to day activities like showering, washing and cleaning. In the poorest countries, some children cannot go to school because they often contract waterborne diseases. In Ethiopia, for instance, droughts have affected the water sources leading to water-borne disease like cholera and diarrhoea which affect mostly children.
DISAPPEARING WETLANDS
As per the reports by World Wide Fund for Nature, half of the world’s wetlands have been destroyed since 1900. Water scarcity and lack of freshwater have had detrimental effects on many habitats across the world. Wetlands are home to a wide range flora and fauna including mammals, birds, fish and invertebrates. In some regions cultivation of rice, a staple in the diet of half the world’s population is dependent on the wetlands. Scarcity of water means a direct impact on these natural ecosystems that benefit humanity in a myriad of ways.
DAMAGED ECOSYSTEMS
When water becomes scarce, natural landscapes often lose out. The Aral Sea in central Asia was once the world’s fourth-largest freshwater lake. But in only three decades, the sea has lost an area the size of Lake Michigan. It is now as salty as an ocean due to the excessive pollution and the diversion of water for irrigation and power generation. As the sea has retracted, it has left polluted land. This ecological catastrophe has created food shortages and resulted in a rise in infant mortality and a decrease in life expectancy for the nearby population.
ENERGY SHORTAGES
Modernization and population growth mean increasing energy requirements. However, freshwater resources are essential for energy production. Energy production is one of the world’s greatest consumers of freshwater resources. In the United States, thermoelectric power plants accounted for 38% of freshwater withdrawals in 2010. Global electricity demand is projected to grow 70% by the year 2035 with India and China accounting for half of the growth. The lack of freshwater means that these energy sources are impacted leading to more power outages and failure in meeting the energy needs of today’s world.
CONFLICTS
Having access to water has become a powerful global economic issue. Local conflicts are triggered by scarce water resources. With the burgeoning global population and growing needs, these tensions could multiply in the future. As per a report by the World Economic Forum, water is a major factor in the conflict in many countries, including Syria. Its importance as a resource means that water-related insecurity can easily exacerbate tensions and friction within and between countries.