<p>In a new report by United Nations researchers, there is a warning for the world – that it is entering an age of water bankruptcy, where a deepened crisis escalates to a breakdown with no assured paths to recovery. The report, published ahead of the fourth UN Water Conference to be held this year in the United Arab Emirates, says the world is now living beyond its hydrological means in the post-crisis era. It notes that many rivers, aquifers, and wetlands have crossed thresholds beyond which recovery to historical “normal” conditions is unlikely. Analysing global data, it says that what once appeared as temporary droughts, shortages, or pollution shocks have become chronic features. The time for warnings is over; it is now the time for the consequences of not heeding those warnings.</p>.<p>According to the report, these conditions have arisen because water consumption has exceeded nature’s ability to replenish the resources; climate change has accelerated the degradation. Nearly half the global population experiences severe water scarcity for at least one month a year. The deficit causes reservoirs to go dry, cities to sink, water to be rationed, crops to fail, and wildfires and dust storms to rise and spread. Iran and Afghanistan are among the worst-affected countries. Tehran is going through a once-in-a-century drought, and prayers for rain are being held across Iran. There has even been a warning, considered extreme, that Tehran may have to be evacuated and residents moved to the south of the country. The crisis is not limited to countries of the Global South. Regions in Europe and the United States are also witnessing a severe crunch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Water shortage is triggering conflict within and between countries, in line with the predictions for water wars. These frictions will have unpredictable political consequences. The UN report says the situation may still be salvaged if the seriousness of its contents is appreciated and timely steps for mitigation and adaptation are taken. Solutions may vary from place to place because the intensity and fallouts are different. India is among the countries that will be most hit because of a shortage of water for drinking, agriculture, and other purposes. The shortage has severely impacted agricultural production in some parts of the country. This is a crisis of life that calls for collective, informed responses. Responsible consumption, scientific conservation and recycling, and the adoption of technology still offer a potent strategy. Results will hinge, as always, on how well this bankruptcy is understood and how proactive the approaches can get.</p>
<p>In a new report by United Nations researchers, there is a warning for the world – that it is entering an age of water bankruptcy, where a deepened crisis escalates to a breakdown with no assured paths to recovery. The report, published ahead of the fourth UN Water Conference to be held this year in the United Arab Emirates, says the world is now living beyond its hydrological means in the post-crisis era. It notes that many rivers, aquifers, and wetlands have crossed thresholds beyond which recovery to historical “normal” conditions is unlikely. Analysing global data, it says that what once appeared as temporary droughts, shortages, or pollution shocks have become chronic features. The time for warnings is over; it is now the time for the consequences of not heeding those warnings.</p>.<p>According to the report, these conditions have arisen because water consumption has exceeded nature’s ability to replenish the resources; climate change has accelerated the degradation. Nearly half the global population experiences severe water scarcity for at least one month a year. The deficit causes reservoirs to go dry, cities to sink, water to be rationed, crops to fail, and wildfires and dust storms to rise and spread. Iran and Afghanistan are among the worst-affected countries. Tehran is going through a once-in-a-century drought, and prayers for rain are being held across Iran. There has even been a warning, considered extreme, that Tehran may have to be evacuated and residents moved to the south of the country. The crisis is not limited to countries of the Global South. Regions in Europe and the United States are also witnessing a severe crunch.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Water shortage is triggering conflict within and between countries, in line with the predictions for water wars. These frictions will have unpredictable political consequences. The UN report says the situation may still be salvaged if the seriousness of its contents is appreciated and timely steps for mitigation and adaptation are taken. Solutions may vary from place to place because the intensity and fallouts are different. India is among the countries that will be most hit because of a shortage of water for drinking, agriculture, and other purposes. The shortage has severely impacted agricultural production in some parts of the country. This is a crisis of life that calls for collective, informed responses. Responsible consumption, scientific conservation and recycling, and the adoption of technology still offer a potent strategy. Results will hinge, as always, on how well this bankruptcy is understood and how proactive the approaches can get.</p>
