Water scarcity: Global warming to deepen thirst for blue gold

[Shallah Kali]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070322/sc_afp/environmentwaterclimate_070322120032

Fresh water, the stuff of life, is set to become even more precious as global warming begins to bite, experts warned ahead of World Water Day on Thursday.

The theme of this year's event is water scarcity, a problem familiarly driven by population explosion, chronic wastage and pollution.

{snip}

In global terms, a temperature rise of 2 C (3.8 F) by 2100 compared with 1990 levels -- towards the lower end of the IPCC's estimates of the likely warming -- would place up to two billion in a position of "increased water scarcity."

{snip}

From the fast-growing "sun belt" states of the southwestern United States to southeastern Australia, where water is extracted from depleted rivers or ancient aquifers are run down for lawns, golf courses and swimming pools, climate change could also mean a wrenching change in lifestyle.

:wtf: We are talking about people dying of thirst and they call having to give up extravagances like freaking swimming pools in the freaking desert a 'wrenching change'??? Never mind the poor of the world who have to drink muck to survive. Pity those who drained the ancient aquifers dry for the sake of a golf course.

[Virginia Dare]

1. More evidence of the impending global catastrophe...

not enough resources for the existing population, soon we'll forget about oil and we'll be starting wars over water.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. You kidding? I've seen self interest in the name of green lawns of

McMansions when there have been water restrictions laid down in Bergen County. The owners water at night so they won't be given tickets (and that's all they get if they're caught).

[RestoreGore]

3. man is hisown worst enemy

Thanks for posting this. It's good to know others here care about this most important issue.