Water scarcity likely to increase

Global warming is likely to put millions more people at risk in the not-too-distant future of experiencing absolute water scarcity, a new study indicates.

Currently, thanks in part to population growth, between one and two out of every 100 people live in countries with absolute water scarcity, defined as “less than 500 cubic meters of water available per year and per person,” according to U.S. News & World Report, citing the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact research study. The average person consumes about 1,200 cubic meters of water per year.

The combined effect of population growth and global warming could push the number of people experiencing absolute water scarcity up to approximately 10 per 100, “within the next few decades,” if greenhouse-gas emissions are not sufficiently reduced soon, said Jacob Schewe, lead author of the study.