The issues
As fresh water supplies come under pressure, the need for better water management becomes ever more urgent.
This pressure is driven by changing weather patterns, increases in global population and rising per capita water consumption. The average amount of water people use varies across the world, but increases with industrialisation. The United Nations states we need a minimum of 50 litres of water a day for drinking and other basic needs. The average North American uses 350 litres daily, while in some of the poorest countries people live on as little as 10 litres.
Some 70% of total water consumption is used for agriculture. As populations across the world grow, so too will the demands from farming. Furthermore, access to fresh water is increasingly problematic as demand grows and water sources become polluted.
These issues are likely to be exacerbated by climate change, making access to water an issue for both farmers and consumers. Where this pressure on water supplies brings communities and countries into opposition, social and political conflicts will arise.
