Impending Crisis: By 2100, 66% of the Global Population to Face Water Scarcity

A new study anticipates a worsening global water scarcity scenario, projecting that by 2100, as much as 66% of the population could be impacted, particularly in regions of the Global South.

This highlights the urgent necessity to address both the quantity and quality of water in forthcoming water management strategies.

Conducted by researchers at Utrecht University and recently published in Nature Climate Change, the study utilizes an advanced global model to forecast the exacerbation of water scarcity, attributed to climate change and socioeconomic shifts.

The findings indicate an increase in shortages of clean water throughout the remainder of the century, with a disproportionate impact on populations in the Global South.

The Multi-faceted Importance of Clean Water

Clean water is essential not only for drinking and sanitation but also for agriculture, energy production, and industrial processes.

As communities and policymakers grapple with on-the-ground water scarcity challenges, the researchers at Utrecht University strive to provide insights into the escalating global crisis concerning clean water availability.

Using simulations generated by an advanced water quantity and quality model, the researchers evaluate both current and projected global water scarcity.

Lead author Dr. Edward Jones emphasizes, “Climate change and socioeconomic factors have complex effects on water availability, quality, and demand in the future.” Understanding changes in these areas is pivotal for assessing future water scarcity.

The study indicates that presently, 55% of the global population resides in regions facing clean water shortages for at least one month annually. Jones notes, “By the century’s end, this figure could rise to 66%.“

Regional Disparities in Future Water Scarcity

As global water scarcity worsens in the future, the distribution and impacts of these changes will vary across different regions worldwide. For example, in regions like Western Europe and North America, projected increases in water scarcity concentrate within specific months of the year, primarily driven by water quantity factors.

Conversely, developing nations anticipate that water scarcity will spread more widely geographically and persist for longer durations annually.

Jones notes, “We anticipate the most significant increases in future exposure in the Global South. These increases generally result from a combination of rapid population and economic expansion, climate shifts, and declining water quality.”

Overlooking Water Quality in Scarcity Assessments

Although essential for safe water usage, water quality remains a neglected aspect in evaluations of water scarcity. “Previous assessments primarily concentrate on water quantity,” Jones notes. “However, water safety also hinges on its quality.”

Hence, an essential objective of this study was to promote the integration of water quality considerations into assessments of water scarcity and the formulation of management strategies to mitigate it.

Jones concludes, “The scarcity of clean water poses a systemic threat to both human populations and ecosystems, which is becoming harder to overlook. Our research emphasizes the importance of not only significantly reducing water consumption but also prioritizing efforts to combat water pollution to effectively address the global water crisis.”

Read the original article on: ScitechDaily

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