Can the Global Community successfully confront the Global water shortage?

Water is the most essential to the life on the earth. Be it from Cape town to Michigan or from

sub-urban to urban cities and countries of the world, all are facing the global water crisis

around them. These days people are struggling to get the quality and quantity of water which

they need for handwashing, cooking, grow their food, bathing and drinking. There are many

steps which are taken at both national and international level in which the Global community

try to help the world by solving the issues faced by water crisis. But still at a global level

people are facing issue for accessing clean water shortage.

There are various reasons due to which the water issue is faced at a global level, which

includes: poor accountability, unethical practices undertaken, and majorly the corruption

which is held in various countries of the world. If the water crisis are not managed well then

it is estimated that there will be a 40% gap of water demand will be seen by 2030, around due

to leakage around 30% of water is lost in abstraction, 112mn people got affected by flood,

and also major the children and women are affected because the children faces many diseases

when dirty water is being contaminated and women including the girls who carry the burden

of water to their families.

Global Community won’t be successful in confronting the Global water shortage due the

following reasons: Water scarcity and Insecurities, WASH (Water Sanitation and Health)

Crisis & Water Related disasters.

Water scarcity and Insecurities: It is a false notion that water covers 70% of the earth, but

the fresh water is only 2.5 % of the total earth water. This portion of fresh water will be a

limited resource to serve the 9.7 bn population which is estimated in 2050. It is estimated that

around 40% of the populated will have water stressed issues in future. Population is not the

only reason there are other reasons which supports the facts i.e., disputes between the
countries to have the access of the freshwater which is surrounded by both the neighbouring

territories. Drought is another reason for Water scarcity and due to that every year around

USD6-8 bn worth of loss is seen in agriculture in United states. When water used in

agriculture also doesn’t satisfy the need due to the drop of freshwater globally which is

around 55%. People living in South Africa and South of the Central Asia can be expected to

get a water stress by 2050. In the 5th assessment of IPCC projects it was concluded that for

each degree of the Global warming, around 7% of the global population is responsible and

around 20% of the water resources will be decreased.

WASH (Water Sanitation and Health) Crisis: Global community is trying to make a

supply of water but still 663 Mn people are lacking the access to safe and improved drinking

water. It was seen that around in Bangladesh around 45 Mn people consumed water having

more proportion of arsenic concentration. Apart from this hygiene and Sanitation is a major

concern. Around 2.4 billion of people living in rural area have a major concern in accessing

the equity in hygiene and sanitation. About 7 of 10 are not having the improved sanitation

facility and 9 of 10 are facing the issue of open defecation. Due to poor sanitization, unsafe

water and hygiene causes around 3.5 Mn deaths of children who are below age of 14.

Water Related Disasters: It is necessary to protect the infrastructure assets related to water.

By 2030, Work bank estimated that water portfolio will get half due to the rising issues

related to water. Also, there is a risk caused due to sudden and high risk of climate changes

and because of increase in the Global warming. Flood has been the most common global

hazard as due to which around 90% of the total water related issues are caused by floods. Due

to the rising population, floods, deforestation, sudden climate changes, rising sea level and

loss of wet lands are the major reasons for Water Disasters. Around 70% of deaths in the

water disasters are occurred due to natural disasters. There are facts which support the

statement that is 107,000 people died due to the floods. And also, it is estimated by 2050,
around 150- 200 Mn people will face the issue due to desertification, increase in

deforestation, Rise in sea-level and due to the changing extreme weather conditions.

Conclusion

Summing up it is estimated USD 500 billion will be the cost for the global economy to solve

the water related issues. Apart from these three arguments for a global water crisis, there are

other reason which includes: Water Infrastructure destruction and Deterioration,

Unsustainable development, and Ecosystem degradation.

References

1. FelkenMark, M. (2012) Global Water issues Confronting Humanity, Retrieved March

31, 2022, From https://www.jstor.org/stable/423575

2. Thomas, J. (2017) Global Community Impact on Water Shortage: Article Analysis,

Retrieved March 31, 2022, From https://www.ukessays.com/essays/environmental-

studies/global-community-impact-water-shortage-article-1300.php