Water Scarcity

While water covers most part of the Earth’s surface, 97% of it is salt water that is unsuitable for human use. Only about 3% of the world’s water is fresh water, and two-thirds of that is “locked up” in ice caps and glaciers. This means that only less than 1% of the world’s water is accessible and suitable for human consumption. 

But now, even that tiny fraction of drinkable water is being threatened.

The United Nations World Water Development Report, released in March 2009, highlights that even as water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce, water consumption continues to rise rapidly due to population growth, industrialisation, greater energy demands, and changing diets such as eating more meat (one kilogram of grain-fed beef needs at least 15 cubic metres of water). In addition, inefficient uses of water (such as irrigation), climate change and poor control on pollution and waste management are also contributing to the water crisis. The report predicted that in two decades – by 2030 – 47% of the world’s population will be living in areas of high water stress.


The Situation in Asia

Another report titled ‘Asia's Next Challenge: Securing the Region's Water Future’ produced by the Asia Society, a New York-based think tank, states that water-related problems are especially acute in Asia, the world’s most populous continent. It estimated that one in five people (or 700 million people) in the region do not have access to safe drinking water and half of Asia lacks access to basic sanitation.

In China, on average, 15.3 million hectares of farmland (13% of the total) are affected by drought each year. In addition, 300 million people living in rural areas don’t have access to safe drinking water. Furthermore, of over 600 Chinese cities, 400 are facing water shortages, including 100 that may experience serious shortages.

Climate change and poor control on pollution and waste management are also contributing to the water crisis.

As Asia’s population is expected to rise by about 500 million within the next decade, experts believe that water-related problems will “lead to cascading consequences, including impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large-scale migration within and across borders, and increased geopolitical tensions and instabilities”.