Water scarcity is seen as the most important and far-reaching area of the climate crisis, with researchers pointing out that the world will be short of 40% to 50% of freshwater by 2030, with large Asian economies such as India and China hit hardest by water scarcity .

 

CNBC reported that Arunabha Ghosh, executive director of the Indian non-profit think tank "Council on Energy, Environment and Water" (CEEW), said that Asia is a global industrial hub undergoing the fastest urbanization, which depends on a large amount of water supply, not only steel, etc. Traditional industries, new industries such as chip manufacturing and clean energy transformation also require a lot of water. Asia in particular is the engine of world growth, and these industries are the new locomotives driving economic growth.

 

However, Gao Xu warned that the global demand for fresh water will exceed the supply by 40% to 50% by the end of 2030, and the shortage of water resources should not only be regarded as a problem of the industry category, but should be regarded as a problem beyond the overall economy.

 

He said Asian economies must understand that this is a regional public good and that it is in their own interest to prevent the economic shock of severe water scarcity.

 

The report pointed out that India is now the most populous country and the hardest hit by water shortages. According to the World Bank, although it has 18% of the world's population, it only has enough water for 4% of the population, making it the most water-stressed country in the world.

 

China has the same dilemma as India. According to the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, 80% to 90% of China’s groundwater sources are unfit for drinking, and half of the groundwater aquifers are so polluted that they cannot be used for industry and irrigation; 50% of the river water is neither suitable for drinking nor suitable for drinking. farming.

 

Although China, the world's second largest economy, has made progress in its transition to clean energy, it still relies on coal for power supply, not to mention water. If water is scarce or unusable to generate electricity, then the power plant cannot operate, Ghosh said. (Source: ec.ltn 0617) ☺
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