Water shortages to be key environmental challenge of the century, Nasa warns

Water shortages are likely to be the key environmental challenge of this century, scientists from Nasa have warned, as new data has revealed a drying-out of swaths of the globe between the tropics and the high latitudes, with 19 hotspots where water depletion has been dramatic.

The Theewaterskloof Dam, a key source of water supply to Cape
 Town, South Africa ahead of the current water crisis.

Areas in northern and eastern India, the Middle East, California and Australia are among the hotspots where overuse of water resources has caused a serious decline in the availability of freshwater that is already causing problems. Without strong action by governments to preserve water the situation in these areas is likely to worsen.

Read Fiona Harvey’s story from The Guardian - “Water shortages to be key environmental challenge of the century, Nasa warns.”