The world wide demand for water has increased dramatically over the past hundred years. The population has tripled, and at the same time, the amount of water used per person has doubled. This demand, combined with other factors has made water scarce on a planet comprised seven-tenths of water.
Water scarcity affects all social and economic sectors and threatens the sustainability of the natural resources base. Addressing water scarcity calls for an intersectoral and multidisciplinary approach to water resources management, one that ensures the coordinated development and management of water and related resources in order to maximize economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. Integration across sectors is needed. This integration needs to take into account development, supply, use and demand, and to place the emphasis on people and the ecosystems that sustain them.
The bulk of the problem is the overall scope of water scarcity. Simultaneously affecting both developed and developing populations with its physical and economic face, water shortage impact will affect social and economic order throughout the world.
The bulk of that challenge lies in finding more effective ways to conserve, use and protect the world’s water resources. Global population is expected to reach 8.1 billion by 2030. To keep pace with the growing demand for food, 14 percent more freshwater will need to be withdrawn for agricultural purposes in the next 30 years.
Areas of Physical and Economic Water Scarcity
