Peak Ecological Water? Are We Near It?
You have heard of "peak oil" I am sure. We all know that is when the amount of oil we can pump is reached and goes into decline. Have you heard of "peak ecological water" though? The world is in danger of running out of "sustainably managed water", according to Peter Gleick, the president of the Pacific Institute and a leading authority on global freshwater resources.
In a report from the Pacific Institute in California, the warnings are obvious and ecologists have begun adopting the term "peak ecological water" the point where, the world has to confront a natural limit on something once considered virtually infinite.
Humans use about half of the world's renewable and accessible fresh water. But even at those levels, billions of people live without the most basic water services, Dr Gleick said. There are concerns that water will increasingly be the cause of violence and even war.
Dan Smith, the Secretary-General of the British-based peacebuilding organisation International Alert, said: "Water is a basic condition for life. Its availability and quality is fundamental for all societies, especially in relation to agriculture and health. There are places, West Africa today, theGanges-Brahmaputra river system in Nepal, Bangladesh and India, and Peru within ten years, where major changes in the rivers generate a significant risk of violent conflict. Good water management is part of peacebuilding."
A significant part of the problem is the deeply inefficient, use of water by industry and agriculture. UN calculations suggest that more than a third of the world's population is suffering from water shortages currently. In 10 years water use is expected to increase by 40% from current levels, and by 2025, according to another UN estimate, two out of three people could be living under conditions of "water stress".
We all need to watch our water usage and practice water conservation practices.
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