Water scarcity: Is the world moving toward war on water?

According to Washington DC's Think Tank World Resources Institute (WRI), there are about 400 areas in the world, including Pakistan, where residents are experiencing severe water problems.

Increasing population, increasing meat consumption and increasing economic activity worldwide have put pressure on the world's water reserves. Fears are that the water shortage will force millions of people to migrate, leading to tensions and political instability.

From Chile to Mexico, tourism destinations from Africa to southern Europe are only increasing. The areas facing water problems, ie 'water-stressed' areas, are determined by how much water is being used from underground reservoirs and other surface reservoirs compared to the water resources available.
According to the WRI, about one-third of the world's population, about 2.6 billion people, live in areas that have been declared 'high water-stressed' countries. Of those, 1.7 billion people are in 17 countries with "severe water problems."

Dozens of Middle East countries face the toughest conditions in terms of water issues. Pakistan, Eritrea, and Botswana have also been declared as countries with severe water problems.

However, India has identified that it faces significant challenges in terms of water use and management which will affect everything, including its public health and economic development. '

Good and bad revelations

This data is taken from the WRI platform Aqua Duct 3.0, which reviews a number of hydrological models and determines how much water is being used at ground level and underground resources and in each area. How much total water is available

When the ratio of these two things is between 40 and 80%, it is considered to be prone to severe water problems. When the proportion is higher than 80%, they are prone to severe water problems.

"Working with the data, I try to be neutral in terms of numbers, but I was very surprised to see the situation in India," Rutger Hofstede, the lead researcher of the study, told the BBC. How bad are you?

India is ranked 13th in this ranking and Pakistan is 12th.

Nine of India's 36 states have been categorized as extremely severe water problems, while Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is flooding.

According to the WRI report, water problems in a big city like Chennai indicate what kind of problems India will face in the coming days. Which is increasing due to non-standard water management? '

The report also says that if nothing is done, Mexico will be just as difficult as India.

In Mexico, 15 states have been described as the most serious water crisis, and Rutger Hofstee points out that the capital city of Mexico City's water system is extremely fragile.

In addition, 16 areas of Chile have been placed in the category of most severe water problems. The Russian and Chinese capital Moscow and Beijing are equally at risk, but those countries are not in this category. In addition, many regions of Italy and Spain will also face severe difficulties as the increased number of tourists in the summer increases the pressure on the water system.

According to the report, one-third of Turkey is also suffering from severe water problems, ie 27 of the 81 provinces have severe water shortages.

However, South Africa's Western Cape, 17 districts of Botswana, some parts of Namibia and Angola have also been prone to severe water problems.

Thirst for economic development

Between 1961 and 2014, the rate of global freshwater extraction (whether from the ground or underground reserves) has increased 2.5 times.

According to the WRI, water demand for irrigation of crops has doubled in the last half-century and irrigation is about 67% of the water used. In 2014, the industry needed about three times as much water as in 1961 and now accounts for 21% of the total water used.

Although water used in homes is 10% of the total water used, it has increased six times compared to 1961. And for animal use, very little water is used.

But the crops are grown for animal feed use 12% of the global irrigation system. That is why experts believe that we can reduce pressure on water resources by reducing the demand for growing animal meat.

“This is the only way to solve global water problems,” says Hofstee. We use a lot of agricultural lands to feed the animals and if you look at how to move resources into calories, this is not the most efficient way. '

A 2012 study showed that in the preparation of any human-made animal, water is used more than anything made from plants, even though both of them have similar nutritional value.

Weather and war

Several UN agencies have warned that climate change will cause uncertainty in many places. The World Health Organization says rising temperatures and unpredictable rains will also see crop dwindling, and food security is a major problem in many areas ahead.

According to the UN, if the current trend continues, some arid and semi-arid areas will have to migrate from 24 to 700 million people by 2030.

WRI says that in many areas where there is the scarcity of water and the war is going on, water is one of the causes of war. These include Israel, Libya, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.

Many areas where too many refugees come, such as Jordan and Turkey, are also under pressure for water problems.

However, Aqua Duct data also revealed that although socioeconomic factors cause water problems, better water management can be counteracted. An example of this is found in Singapore, where the country collects water from four different sources.

Meanwhile, Israel is also developing the best technology for water management. Hofstee says that countries like India, where these problems are coming or coming, need better water management to cope with them.

They say' Water problems can be a proxy indicator for you, not your destiny.