UN warns: leaders unaware of severity of crisis
Water is commonly known as the elixir of life but few realise, that unless it’s managed in a sustainable manner, it can also become the kiss of death. As the chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Mr Rajendra Pachauri, warned on Tuesday, the world is yet to wake up to the severity of the water crises that lie ahead.
This is a frightening scenario given that steps to mitigate crises will only be taken after Governments begin to acknowledge the problem — and by that time, it may be too late. Already, we are seeing sporadic conflicts all over the globe with regard to water distribution and consumption. These extend from disputes between States and nations over the sharing of river water to outright social unrest.
In India, we have already seen a little bit of all. For example, the Governments of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry have been locked for years in a court battle over how to share the waters of the Kaveri river. Similarly, India has longstanding disputes with Bangladesh and China over the Teesta and the Brahmaputra respectively.
Nation-wide, water scarcity is emerging as a major governance and development challenge. A survey done in 2013 found that 22 of India’s 32 big cities face daily water shortages. In fact, that year the water crisis in the national capital was so severe that upscale shopping malls shut their toilets. The situation is no better in rural areas where fields have gone dry and agricultural production has been hampered.
To really understand the gravity of the situation, only one needs to look at West Asian countries — in Syria, for example, the role of the water crisis in fueling popular disenchantment against the Assad Government in the early days of the Arab Uprising is well documented. Between 2006 and 2011, up to 60 per cent of Syria's land area saw one of the worst droughts in its history and severe crop failures were reported across the country. Some 8,00,000 Syrians lost their livelihoods which led to an immense social upheaval. The situation is no better in Yemen which is already on its way to becoming the first country to run out of water.
The water crisis has three aspects: Decreasing water supply, increasing demand for water, and mismanagement of water resources. In the first case, climate change is expected to make matters worse. Mr Pachauri's IPCC has predicted a rise in global temperature of between 0.3 and 4.8 degrees celsius by the late 21st century. This will mean more dry lakes and rivers on the one hand and rising sea levels on the other. In the second case, growing population will only add to the pressures — both directly and indirectly.
Apart from drinking and irrigation purposes, water is also being used as an energy source and the impact of dams and hydro-power plants on river flows has become a contentious issue. In the third case, Governments have to take the lead in pushing for a sustainable water-use plan but individuals will also have to do their part.