A recent study suggests that, because carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are rising through the burning of fossil fuels, plants do not need to keep their stomata as wide open as they used to obtain the carbon dioxide they need. As consequence plants are now releasing less water into the atmosphere than they did in the past (Gedney et al., 2006; Matthews, 2006). This represents a very subtle consequence of climate change that affects the global water cycle and makes the important point that the global ecosystem is very complex and that a change in one component can have wide-ranging and unexpected consequences.
In countries like Chad, Afghanistan and Ethiopia, water crisis is a major problem. For instance, in Chad, 30 million people in the region compete over water. The drying up of the lake has led to migration and conflicts, according to FAO. Fish production has recorded a 60 per cent decline, while pasturelands have been degraded, resulting in a shortage of animal feed, livestock, and biodiversity. The lake’s receding shoreline has severely affected people living in its basin and has turned them into food-insecure refugees.
The availability of freshwater will be significantly altered in a future world affected by climate change (Houghton, 2004). In some regions, water availability will decrease; in others, it will increase. Precise predictions about the extent and exact location of such changes cannot be made because they are based on climate models, the accuracy of which is uncertain. However, there is wide agreement that probable changes will include:
- More rain in northern high latitudes in winter and in the monsoon regions of south-east Asia in summer.
- Less rain in southern Europe, Central America, southern Africa, and Australia in summer.
- Greater water flows in rivers that are fed by glaciers.
- Overall, higher temperatures in all regions, which will lead to greater evaporation so that, even in regions where rainfall does not decrease, water availability will be reduced.
- Rising sea levels, which will lead to flooding of low-lying coastal regions, including major flood plains and river deltas, many of which are currently densely populated; for example, the Bengal delta in Bangladesh contains 8.5 million people
PROBLEMS ARISING DUE TO WATER SCARCITY
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 eater 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. In fact, 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 fresh water 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 over 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.
