The issue of population growth and water - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... of nearly 6.3 billion is accounted to be growing by 80 million people per year and this tremendous and constant population growth implies that there is an increased demand for fresh water that comes to be around 64 billion cubic meters each year. This paper presents the issue of water crisis and population growth. Based on scientific studies related to nature and water crisis, this work attempts to detail the exact crisis of water scarcity and its severity on human life. How population growth impacts on fresh water availability and use also has been broadly detailed in this work.
Good water like soil is the resource that has no substitute and hence water crisis would severely impact on human life. Elizabeth Hunt (2004) emphasizes that the water crisis is real and its complexity or its connection to real poverty cannot be underestimated. The water crisis is closely related to environmental insecurity as well as hopelessness. The real crisis is not just lack of water, but also the degradation and depletion of water ecosystem (p.37).
According to NOVA ‘world in the balance’ report (April 2004), the total number of people on this planet is growing and it is expected that the world population will be 9 billion by 2050. 98% of this growth will be in developing countries where resources are being consumed faster than they can be renewed. Even though, water represents 70% of the Earth surface, only 2.5 % of it is fresh water available for human basic needs (world in the balance, NOVA).. The scarcity of the fresh water due to overuse and contamination is the second most challenge on human life in the 21st century; population growth being the first of all challenges
Among all natural resources water is the most essential. Supply of water in the quantity needed and availability of quality water are two problems that mount and it could seriously restrict human life standards and economic development. A great majority of world population currently faces extreme water ...Download file to see next pagesRead More