The Imminet global crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Imminet global crisis - Essay Example The world now is on the verge of unprecedented fresh water crisis. This global issue is very alarming, because it affects every single aspect of our lives on Earth. The prime cases of the water crisis are the climate change, population growth and human waste. Climate change and in particular the global warming is the primary force triggering the water crisis. In his article Madrigal (2008) says that 60% of the changes in the West's water cycle are linked to the atmospheric greenhouse gases. He describes a research conducted which found that the increases in winter air temperature reduce the amount of snow which falls in the mountains. In return, the snow packs that acted as water storage provide less water as they melt in the spring. Furthermore, human activity can lead to the global warming too. Burning of fossil fuels are blamed for the melting of glaciers and leaving less drinkable water and less water for crop irrigation. Population growth requires more fresh water for the basic needs of food production. According to the Population Reports (1998) the increase in population "alone will push an estimated 17 more countries, with a projected population of 2.1 billion, into these water-short categories within the next 30 years (69)." By the year 2025, 35% of the projected global population which will account to 2.8 billion people will be affected by the water scarcity (1998 135).