A Global Response is Needed to Address Water Scarcity and its Implications

There are many implications for a warming climate, melting icebergs, increasing temperatures, coral bleaching, and water scarcity. Each of these impacts is devastating in their own right, and while water scarcity may not receive the same attention as the above ground implications of climate change, it is still just as troublesome.

There are two types of water scarcity, physical scarcity, where local ecological conditions cause water shortage and economic scarcity when the water infrastructure is inadequate. When both physical and economic scarcity converge, it leads to water stress. The two most water stressed regions of the globe are the Middle East and North Africa where 83% of the population experiences extremely high water stress. By 2050, it is estimated that 100% of the population in these countries are expected to live in extremely high water stress.

Climate change is one of the drivers to water scarcity. United Nations experts estimate that for every 1.8°F increase in the global average temperature, renewable water resources drop 20%. Agriculture is poised to become a looming challenge for farmers, “as rainfall becomes unpredictable and rising temperatures accelerate the evaporation of water from soil.” Aside from agricultural challenges, increased flooding can wipe out crops and the…