Governments,civil society, corporations, and farmers and grassroots organisations must co-operate to avoid the dangers aheadGrowing an economy is very thirsty commerce. We need to double food production – but we’re already using an average 70% of the world’s fresh water for agriculture. Meanwhile industrialised countries – the US in particular – are diverting 40% of their water to energy production,and that demand will also rise. Unsustainable levels of water are being extracted from many of the worlds fresh water ecosystems: up to 80%-90% of water is already being used in many arid and semi-arid river basins where water is scarce, according to the World Water Council. It is, or quite simply and literally,unsustainable. Related: Rajendra Singh: Clean flowing rivers must be a human upright Related: Seven ways to procure water on the climate agenda Related: Can $15m worth of toilets finally clean up the Ganges? Related: Global drought: why is no one discussing fresh water at Cop21? Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com