Context :
Why
one in four countries around the world is facing extreme water stress .. First Post / 17 Aug 2023
Extract :
India
is among the 25 countries, which house a quarter of the global population, that
face extremely high water stress each year, according to a report published by World Resources
Institute’s (WRI) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas on Wednesday (16 August). Bahrain,
Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman are the top five worst-affected nations.
‘Extreme water stress’, as per the
report, means that the country uses more than 80 per cent of its
renewable water supply for irrigation, livestock, industry and domestic purposes.
Water
stress measures the demand for the resource in an area as compared to its
available water supply. If the water stress is greater, the country is more
prone to experience water shortages, particularly when demand is higher such as
during a heatwave, noted Sky
News.
What
are the other findings of the report? How worried should we be? What can be done? Let’s
take a closer look.
Global water demand to soar
The report says that the worldwide
demand for water has more than doubled since 1960.
The
highest increase in water demand – 163 per cent – is expected to occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
“While most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are not extremely water-stressed
right now, demand is growing faster there than any other region in the world,”
as per the WRI’s report.
It attributes a rise in water demand to
increasing populations and growing demands of industries such as agriculture,
energy production and manufacturing. Moreover, the research says that unsustainable water use policies,
a lack of investment in water
infrastructure and climate change can also affect the
available water supply.
Most water-stressed regions
Middle East and North Africa are the
most water-stressed regions, with a whopping 83 per cent of the population
exposed to extremely high water stress.
In South Asia, 74 per cent of the
population is vulnerable to such conditions.
As
per Charles Iceland, director of Freshwater Initiatives at the WRI, “If a
country is using 100 per cent of its available supply, usually you’re going to
start to see a few bad things happen,” reported Sky
News.
“Groundwater levels drop, rivers dry up, lakes dry up,
wetlands dry up and we’re seeing that across places in the Middle East,
like Iraq and Iran.”
Water shortages can trigger industrial disruptions, power outages as
well as losses in agricultural production, says the report.
According
to water risk research, heightened water stress can also harm the economic growth of
countries. It also puts global food security at risk.
About 60 per cent of global irrigated agriculture
is facing extremely high water stress, especially sugarcane, wheat, rice and
maize. “Yet to feed a projected 10 billion people by 2050, the world will need
to produce 56 per cent more food calories than it did in 2010 — all while
dealing with increasing water stress as well as climate-driven disasters like
droughts and floods,” the report’s authors say.
“Water
is arguably our most important resource on the planet
and yet we’re not managing it in a way
that reflects that. I’ve been working in water for close to 10 years, and
unfortunately, the story has been the same almost the entire 10 years,”
Samantha Kuzma, Aqueduct data lead from WRI’s water program and a report
author, told CNN.
Water stress will worsen
Currently, half the world’s population
– four billion people – is exposed to extremely high water stress at least one
month a year. This is set to worsen by 2050 when 60 per cent of the population
could be subjected to such conditions.
The researchers have sounded alarm that
an additional one billion people are likely to witness extremely high water
stress by that time even if the global warming threshold is limited to 1.3 to
2.4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
As per Aqueduct’s data, 31 per cent of
global GDP – $70 trillion – will be exposed to high water stress by 2050, an
uptick from 24 per cent in 2010. India, Mexico, Egypt
and Turkey will account for over half of this exposed GDP in 2050.
“Without
better water management, population growth, economic development and climate change
are poised to worsen water stress,” the WRI report warns.
“People
like to talk about climate change
as the biggest existential threat to humanity, but water stress is climate
change’s deadliest and most used weapon,” Crystal Davis, global director of
WRI’s Food, Land and Water programme, was quoted as saying by The Messenger.
What can be done ?
WRI report calls for better water
management to reduce water stress. Citing the example of Singapore and the
United States’ Las Vegas, it says that methods such as getting rid of
water-thirsty grass, desalination, and wastewater treatment and reuse show how to
manage scarce water resources.
It notes that political will and
financial backing are necessary to implement these “cost-effective” solutions.
With climate change, “water challenges
are only going to become more frequent and more intense,” Heather Cooley,
director of research for the Pacific Institute, told The
Washington Post. “That needs to motivate us to begin preparing and
implementing projects.”
My Take :
My past ( 17 ) blogs on WATER SCARCITY ( as on March 2022 )
2022 ( 2 )
Procuring Technology for “ CASCADE WATER FILTRATION “ ..[
03 Mar 2022 ]
2021 ( 2 )
Mumbai Desalination Plant / a White Elephant ?.....................[
24 Nov 2021 ]
With a pinch of Salt ?.........................................................
[ 29 June 2021 ]
The Biggest FREE Desalination Plant:Sun+Sea………………………… [
09 July 2019 ]
Water above our heads……………………………………………………………….[
29 Mar 2019 ]
Making Water from Air ?......................
………………………………….[ 26 Oct 2018 ]
Water Mutiny of 2020……………………………………………………………..[ 17 June 2018 ]
Water Wars Are Looming !..................................................[
09 June 2018 ]
Writing is on
the Wall ……………………………………………………………[
08 May 2018 ]
Replicating Nature ?........................................................[
23 Mar 2018 ]
Deja Vu ? #Latur #Marathwada #Waterwar……………………………..[
28 Feb 2018 ]
2017 ( 2 )
2016 ( 1 )
What
is the permanent solution ?
*
Make " Water Conservation / Usage " , a CENTRAL SUBJECT in our
Constitution . Remove it from the list of STATE SUBJECTS
*
Declare all existing sources of water ( Rivers and Lakes ) , as National
Resources belonging
to entire Nation and not to the particular State
where these are located
*
Make it Center's responsibility to decide which State shall use how
much of each of these resource ( allocation / rationing )
*
Center will also be responsible for developing of future resources by
digging lakes & ponds / building dams / interlinking
rivers & lakes etc
Use MNREGA funds for creating such assets
*
Center will not need permission of any State to implement such projects
*
Center will implement " River Interlinking
" Project by 2025 , and for
this,
it will not require permission of any State
As repeatedly lobbied by me , please find a way to divert BLACK MONEY
to this Infrastructure SPV ( Tax haven or local - which is 100 times ! )
*
Mercilessly , shut down all factories dumping
polluting effluents in rivers
+ Rain water harvesting system ( this tank to supply toilets / sinks
etc )
+ Recycling of water from Kitchen / Shower / Wash Basins,
for use in
toilets , by installing a simple sand filtering tank in society compounds
+ Installation of water flow
restricting devices in all
taps
+ Mechanism which stops water
flow when hands are removed under tap
+ Water Supply Cut of 25 % , round
the year
Do not raise Water Charges . The higher the charges , more ways will
be found to evade ( as in case of Personal Income Tax ! )
Water meters will get tempered or bypassed !
Note the
following :
*
Of all the water that rains bring , 99 % flows out to seas, leaving 1 %
on land
*
Out of this 1% , 99 % percolates into the ground , leaving 1 % ( of that
1 % ) , into lakes above the ground !
*
75 % of earth's surface is covered with seas / oceans . So , really , there
is PLENTY of
water
*
Nature ( Sun ) has gifted the Earth with evaporation / condensation cycle
which converts the salty sea water into distilled potable water,
automatically / continuously , and deliver onto the land masses
Amount of water falling as rain on
land each year is 2.4 trillion meter
cube ,
more than 10 times the annual
requirement of 7 billion earthlings , at the
rate of 100
litres per person per day !
As far as India is concerned , all that is required
, is to dig 700,000
ponds / lakes ( one in each village ) , where we capture / store rain
water
*
These 700,000 ponds must be lined with Geo-Synthetic Fabrics to ensure
that the captured water does not seep underground - a simple technology
*
Capturing most of rain water in these ponds , will raise the water table in
bore wells
*
None of the above suggestions require Rocket Science ! But , even if it
does , our Scientists who have sent Mars Orbital Mission , are quite
capable of finding appropriate solutions !
I hope the
Center / the State Governments and all the political parties , rise
above
their differences and join hands , to avoid a CIVIL WATER WAR !
Highlights
from speech of PM Shri Narendra Modi on 15 Aug 2023 :
“ Our work culture of aspirational mind-set, thinking big,
farsightedness, Sarvajan Hitaya: SarvajanSukhaya: Such has been our working
style. And with this energy we work on how to achieve beyond and more than a
resolution.
We had
resolved to make 75 thousand Amrit Sarovar in the Amrit Mahotsav of
independence.
At that
time, we had resolved to make 75 Amrit Sarovar in every district.
Around 50-55 thousand Amrit Sarovars were conceived.
But today the
work of construction of about 75 thousand Amrit Sarovar is going on.
This in
itself is a humongous task. This strength of manpower and water power is also
going to be useful in safeguarding India’s environmental wealth. “
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
www.hemenparekh.ai / 20
Aug 2023
1. Making Water Conservation a Central Subject:
- Advantages: This would allow for a unified and coordinated approach to water management at the national level.
- Challenges: Shifting water management from state to central jurisdiction might face resistance from states due to regional water distribution differences.
2. Declaring Existing Water Sources as National Resources:
- Advantages: Centralized management can help ensure equitable distribution and reduce inter-state disputes over water resources.
- Challenges: Some states might resist giving up control over resources within their territories.
3. Implementing Water Projects by Central Government:
- Advantages: Centralized projects can ensure optimal utilization of resources and quicker decision-making.
- Challenges: States may feel that their autonomy is compromised, and local issues might not be effectively addressed.
4. Mandatory Water Conservation Measures for Buildings:
- Advantages: Mandating water-saving measures at the building level can significantly reduce water usage.
- Challenges: Enforcement and compliance might be challenging without strict monitoring and penalties.
5. Rainwater Harvesting and Recycling:
- Advantages: These measures can significantly increase water availability and reduce pressure on freshwater sources.
- Challenges: Implementation might require investments in infrastructure and educating the public.
6. Water Flow Restricting Devices and Mechanisms:
- Advantages: These measures can prevent water wastage and promote responsible water usage.
- Challenges: Public awareness and acceptance of these measures might take time.
7. Reduce Water Supply and Maintain Charges:
- Advantages: Water conservation can be promoted through pricing incentives.
- Challenges: The challenge lies in finding a balance between affordability and conservation.
8. Building Ponds and Lakes:
- Advantages: Creating water storage facilities can help in capturing rainwater and recharging groundwater.
- Challenges: Land acquisition, engineering, and maintenance might pose challenges.
9. Lining Ponds with Geo-Synthetic Fabrics:
- Advantages: Preventing seepage can enhance water storage in ponds.
- Challenges: Proper installation and maintenance of the lining would be crucial.
10. Increasing Awareness and Collaborative Efforts:
- Advantages: Raising public awareness and collaboration can lead to a collective effort towards water conservation.
- Challenges: Sustaining public interest and cooperation might require ongoing campaigns.
Overall, your suggestions cover a wide range of measures that could collectively address the water scarcity issue. They involve a combination of policy changes, technological solutions, and behavioral shifts. However, successful implementation would require strong political will, coordination among various stakeholders, and continuous monitoring and adaptation based on changing conditions. The challenge lies not just in proposing these measures, but also in overcoming the hurdles that may arise during execution. Addressing water scarcity is indeed a complex task that demands multifaceted solutions.
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