In this article, you will get to learn about the impact of water shortage on the economy and the environment. . With around 1 billion people lacking access to safe, clean water every day and at least 2.5 billion facing acute water shortages at least one month out of the year, it’s clear that there is an ongoing and urgent problem with water shortage around the world and that the impact of water shortage on the economy of the world is quite staggering.
While some countries are getting better at dealing with their lack of access to safe drinking water, there’s still much work to be done in order to ensure that the global population has ample access to clean, safe water from all sources possible.
This guide will talk about the Impact of Water Shortage on the Economy and the Environment, and what can be done about it.
Water will become more valuable as it gets scarcer
As the demand for water continues to increase due to population growth, climate change, and economic development, it will become more valuable.
The scarcity of clean water is already a big problem for many countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. For example, in India, about 330 million people lack access to safe drinking water. Countries are scrambling for solutions with some looking at seawater desalination as an option.
But this is expensive; it costs five times more than freshwater desalination, which has been found to be cheaper in places like Israel and Australia.
And experts warn that desalinating seawater could destroy marine life by releasing high levels of salt into coastal areas. They say we need to start using water better and stop wasting so much of it if we want to have enough left over for future generations.
5 Impact of Water Shortage on the Economy and the Environment
- Increased susceptibility to disease
- Increased potential for dry spells which can lead to desertification in certain regions
- Desalination plants will become more prevalent
- Dehydration
- Decreased industrial production and higher unemployment rates
- Change in drinking water quality and taste
Let us take each impact of water shortage on the economy and the environment in detail.
Increased susceptibility to disease
Water scarcity also has significant impacts on human health – as well as being essential to living organisms, it is a natural cleansing agent. This can result in increased susceptibility to disease.
Furthermore, the lack of sufficient fresh water for sanitation services will cause an increase in the number of diseases that can spread through communities.
In Africa alone 2 million people die annually from drinking dirty water; diarrheal diseases are the fifth leading cause of death among children worldwide.
Increased potential for dry spells which can lead to desertification in certain regions
Additionally, water scarcity leads to environmental degradation. With less fresh water available for use there is increased potential for dry spells which can lead to desertification in certain regions. Desertification causes arable land to be lost to sand dunes or even submerged under salt water.
The resulting soil erosion then harms agriculture, a leading source of food production in many developing countries.
Desalination plants will become more prevalent
Desalination plants are going to be crucial in solving our water crisis. As climate change progresses, droughts will become more frequent, which will lead to a greater need for desalination plants.
Desalinated seawater has been used for years in many parts of the world, but it is more expensive than other types of desalination such as rainwater harvesting or recycling wastewater.
As an example, Saudi Arabia is building one plant per day as they anticipate their growing population’s needs. They have 24 operational desalination plants today and 17 under construction.
However, even with these efforts, there still may not be enough supply. Countries like Israel, Kuwait, and Libya all depend on this method of water production for nearly all of their potable water supplies.
Dehydration
Water is renewable – but only if we act now. Water is one of our most essential resources. With the drought, floods, rising sea levels, and more extreme weather events each year, there is a high chance that we will experience a shortage in some regions.
Experts estimate that by 2030 half the world’s population could be living with chronic or recurring water shortages.
This not only has an impact on quality of life but also economic activity – when people don’t have access to clean drinking water they can’t work at their peak capacity because their bodies are too busy trying to stay hydrated.
Decreased industrial production and higher unemployment rates
In addition, if businesses can’t use enough fresh water for industrial production then this leads to higher unemployment rates as well as higher prices for consumers across all industries.
Change in Drinking Water Quality and Taste
In addition to the economic impacts, drought has a huge effect on our drinking water quality and taste.
As droughts worsen, reservoirs shrink, and surface water contains more contaminants.
When surface water is used for drinking or agricultural purposes, it needs to be treated with chemicals.
This leads to higher levels of disinfection byproducts (such as trihalomethanes) which may have an impact on our health. Even worse, if surface waters are not treated properly, they may contain lead which will leach into the water supply.
The Effects of Deforestation on Humans and How We Can Help
Deforestation is one of the most critical and urgent issues facing humanity today. You probably already know that deforestation destroys habitats and species, but it also affects people on several different levels as well.
In this article, we will explore how and why deforestation affects humans, and we’ll also share some effective ways you can help to stop it from happening in the first place.
Trees
We need to start planting more trees! The Great Green Wall project in Africa is an initiative by the African Union that seeks to plant a wall of trees across the continent, stretching from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east.
The project aims to not only protect existing forests but also sequester carbon, reduce desertification and allow communities access to fuel wood, fodder for livestock, and timber for construction. It’s important to note that this isn’t just about saving the environment: it’s about saving human lives.
Animals
A recent study by the University of Queensland found that deforestation is a major contributor to climate change.
When forests are cut down, the trees release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which makes it difficult for our planet to absorb excess CO2 from factories, cars, and other human sources.
The destruction also forces animals out of their homes and can lead to species extinction.
Plants
One major effect that deforestation has is the loss of plants. Plants are essential for our environment in many ways.
They provide oxygen, regulate the atmosphere’s composition, as well as provide shelter and food for wildlife.
When plant life dies off due to a lack of resources, it can release carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming. Trees also produce shade which helps keep the soil moist and cool down the surrounding area.
Water
Deforestation is the act of cutting down or burning all the trees in a large forested area. It is one of the major causes of climate change, as it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The forest’s ability to absorb CO2 emissions decreases when they are cut down, and this can lead to an increase in greenhouse gases as well as other environmental changes.
Forests also provide oxygen, water supplies, habitat, and food sources, and contribute to biodiversity so deforestation has a huge impact on humans by removing all these resources.
Deforestation impacts our health in many different ways. Firstly it affects us by removing places that we can go for recreation or exercise; this leads to physical inactivity which can cause health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
Are Australians ready for water rationing?
In Australia, we are experiencing one of the worst droughts in our history. The drought is affecting both rural and urban communities, with some regions experiencing up to 200% more than average annual rainfall loss.
While this is bad for farmers, it’s also bad for consumers as food prices are expected to rise by 20%. Furthermore, industries like tourism will be affected by a drop in water availability.
The drought in Australia has caused such a shortage that the government has come up with a plan to ration people’s daily water use to just 100 liters per day, this is a clear example of the impact of water shortage on the economy.
This is an effort not only to conserve what little resources we have left but also to protect against health risks associated with dehydration.
The effect of drought on our drinking water quality and taste is an impact of water shortage on the economy and the environment that should be tackled.
A final thought on the Impact of Water Shortage on the Economy and the Environment
Water scarcity is a worldwide issue that will only get worse as the population grows and we have just listed the impact of water shortage on the economy and the environment.
The United States has seen an increase in droughts over recent years, with some areas receiving less than half their average annual rainfall.
In these areas, crops are dying from a lack of irrigation, and livestock has been moved to other regions for better access to water.
The environmental impacts are also significant fertilizer runoff from farms increases algae growth in streams and rivers, which depletes oxygen levels for aquatic life and makes rivers uninhabitable for swimming or fishing.
Additionally, wetlands are drying up because they rely on rainwater rather than surface water runoff; this reduces habitats for migratory birds that depend on a stopover at wetland nesting sites.
As populations continue to grow and demand more resources, there will be serious consequences for our environment.
We need long-term solutions that not only reduce consumption but also address how we use water during production. Do you have questions or suggestions on the impact of water shortage on the economy and the environment? Please leave a comment below.