Thursday, September 30, 2010

Water map shows billions at risk of 'water insecurity'


Interesting BBC article about a new study in the Journal Nature, about the fact that 80% of the population of the world live where an adequate supply of fresh water is NOT secure.

About 80% of the world's population lives in areas where the fresh water supply is not secure, according to a new global analysis.
Researchers compiled a composite index of "water threats" that includes issues such as scarcity and pollution.
The most severe threat category encompasses 3.4 billion people.
Writing in the journal Nature, they say that in western countries, conserving water for people through reservoirs and dams works for people, but not nature.
They urge developing countries not to follow the same path.
Instead, they say governments should to invest in water management strategies that combine infrastructure with "natural" options such as safeguarding watersheds, wetlands and flood plains
- BBC Sep 29, 2010

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