For the first time in history, humankind has disrupted the global water cycle, leading to a major water crisis. This could have consequences for the economy, food production, and the lives of billions of people. This is stated in a new report by the Global Commission on Water Economics, CNN reports, according to UNN.
For the first time in human history, we are throwing the global water cycle out of balance,
It is noted that decades of destructive land use and unsustainable use of water resources, combined with the anthropogenic climate crisis, have caused “unprecedented stress” on the global water cycle, the report says.
Almost 3 billion people are facing water shortages due to the disruption of the water cycle. Crops are declining and “settlements are sinking” as the groundwater beneath them dries up.
The consequences will be even more catastrophic if urgent measures are not taken, the authors of the document believe. The water crisis threatens more than 50% of global food production and could reduce countries' GDP by 8% by 2050, and in low-income countries, losses could reach up to 15%.
The report distinguishes between “blue water,” liquid water in lakes, rivers, and aquifers, and “green water,” moisture stored in soils and plants.
A steady supply of green water is vital for vegetation, which holds back the carbon that warms the planet. But human damage to the environment, such as the destruction of wetlands and deforestation, is depleting these carbon sinks and accelerating global warming. In turn, the heat caused by climate change is drying up landscapes, reducing moisture and increasing the risk of fires.
The crisis is exacerbated by the growing need for water. The report estimates that on average, people need at least 4,000 liters per day to lead a “decent life,” which is much more than the 50-100 liters that the UN considers necessary to meet basic needs.
The report's authors believe that governments around the world should recognize the water cycle as a “common good” and address its problems together.
In particular, they call for a “fundamental rethinking of the role of water in the economy.
“The global water crisis is a tragedy, but it is also an opportunity to transform the water economy,” said Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization and Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Water Economy. She emphasized that it is important to properly value water “to recognize its scarcity and the many benefits it brings.
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