Global

World population facing water stress could ‘double’ by 2050

The number of people exposed to water stress could double by 2050 if efforts are not made to keep global warming below 2C above pre-industrial levels and future population growth is high, a study finds.

This means an additional 380 million people could face water stress by mid-century, when compared to the number in 2010.

Even if the world does meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature target of limiting warming to below 2C and population growth is low, the number of people exposed to water stress could still rise by 50% by 2050, when compared to 2010, the research says.

Increases will be concentrated in the Middle East, North Africa and south and central Asia – regions that already face significant challenges as a result of water stress, the lead author tells Carbon Brief.

Running dry

Around two-thirds of the global population – four billion people – face water scarcity for at least one month a year in today’s world.

Water availability is affected by physical processes – such as the amount of rainfall, rate of evaporation and the geology of the land surface and human management, through dams, groundwater extraction and reservoirs.

For many countries, water availability is […]

Summary
Article Name
World population facing water stress could ‘double’ by 2050
Description
The number of people exposed to water stress could double by 2050 if efforts are not made to keep global warming below 2C above pre-industrial levels and future population growth is high, a study finds.
Author
Publisher Name
Carbon Brief
Publisher Logo

Recent Posts

Why Isn’t the LA Regional Board Doing More to Protect Groundwater?

Protecting Groundwater Through the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board The Los Angeles Regional…

9 hours ago

Biden administration warns states of cyberattack threat to water, wastewater systems

(The Hill) — The Biden administration warned governors Tuesday that “disabling” cyberattacks are targeting drinking…

4 days ago

Cocopah Tribe: habitat restoration along the Colorado River to address climate change

Map: Tribe will restore areas along the Colorado River to address climate change. The Cocopah…

4 days ago

70 million Americans drink water from systems reporting PFAS to EPA. Is yours on our map?

At least 70 million Americans get their water from a system where toxic PFAS "forever…

5 days ago

Carbon Capture: Evaluating Underground CO2 Sequestration in California

Natural gas production. (Photo: ucr.edu) California’s natural gas power plants are being wasted While the…

6 days ago

Watershedding: taps run dry across Johannesburg — unprecedented water crisis

Residents of the township of Soweto, South Africa, queue for water Saturday, March 16, 2024.…

1 week ago