This weekend I'm planning on starting some more official research on water footprint calculators and which one I'm going to use. For now, here are some interesting water facts that I pulled from the United Nations Water site:
How the world uses freshwater:
• about 70 percent for irrigation
• about 22 percent for industry
• about 8 percent for domestic use
Source: United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
• about 70 percent for irrigation
• about 22 percent for industry
• about 8 percent for domestic use
Source: United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
The daily drinking water requirement per person is 2-4 litres, but it takes 2 000 to 5 000 litres of water to produce one person's daily food.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
The UN suggests that each person needs 20-50 litres of safe freshwater a day to ensure their basic needs for drinking, cooking and cleaning.
Source: World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
More than one in six people worldwide - 894 million - don't have access to this amount of safe freshwater.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Joint Monitoring Programme on Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP)
Source: World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
More than one in six people worldwide - 894 million - don't have access to this amount of safe freshwater.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Joint Monitoring Programme on Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP)
19 basins involve five or more different countries:
- The Danube River basin is shared by 18 riparian nations.
- Five basins are shared between 9 and 11 countries.
- Thirteen basins have between 5 and 8 riparian nations
- The Danube River basin is shared by 18 riparian nations.
- Five basins are shared between 9 and 11 countries.
- Thirteen basins have between 5 and 8 riparian nations
Source: The UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
There have been 1,831 interactions (both conflictual and cooperative) over the last fifty years involving transboundary water basins.
- 7 disputes have involved violence, and 507 conflictive events have occurred
- Approximately 200 treaties have been signed, with a total of 1,228 cooperative events.
- 7 disputes have involved violence, and 507 conflictive events have occurred
- Approximately 200 treaties have been signed, with a total of 1,228 cooperative events.
Source: The UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
And here are some more frightening statistics/predictions:
Water withdrawals are predicted to increase by 50 percent by 2025 in developing countries, and 18 per cent in developed countries.
Source: Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4)
Over 1.4 billion people currently live in river basins where the use of water exceeds minimum recharge levels, leading to the desiccation of rivers and depletion of groundwater.
Source: Human Development Report 2006
In 60 percent of European cities with more than 100,000 people, groundwater is being used at a faster rate than it can be replenished.
Source: World Business Counicl For Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
By 2025, 1 800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population could be under stress conditions.
Source: Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4)
Source: Human Development Report 2006
In 60 percent of European cities with more than 100,000 people, groundwater is being used at a faster rate than it can be replenished.
Source: World Business Counicl For Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
By 2025, 1 800 million people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population could be under stress conditions.
Source: Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (GEO-4)
Water is at the heart of many issues including (but absolutely not limited to): disease, food scarcity and international conflict. This is why I feel this is such an important endeavor. Learning how we can reduce our water use now will (optimistically) help us in the future. I don't mean to be an idealist, but I try to stay positive when faced such terrifying predictions.
What's that you say? Most of us readers in North America... and you don't have to worry about water? Think again.
The United States is by far the world's largest consumer of water and its water use cannot be supported. The residents of United States is now absolutely dependent on non-renewable groundwater resources for roughly 50% (that's right, half) of their daily water usage. Within approximately 5 years, 36 states will likely face a water crisis similar to the situation in California.
Source: Blue Covenant: the global water crisis and the coming battle for the right to water by Maude Barlow
And Canada isn't doing any better. The average Canadian uses 335 liters of water per day. This is more than double the water use of the average European. And as over developing nations are striving to lower their water usage (the United States water use has actually declined in the past 20 years), the average Canadian is using more than 25% more water per day than they did 20 years ago.
Source: On Guard for Thee? Water (Ab)uses and Management in Canada by Dan Shrubsole and Dianne Draper
This is a bit of a lazy post, but I had to write something and I'm on a bit of a time-crunch!
Take care and keeping spreading the word!
Your Water Warrior,
Erin
Yikes! Eye opening for sure!
ReplyDelete