Water Supply and Demand in 2075 Global Essay

Water Supply and Demand in 2075

Global Resource Proposal

Difference in Water Demand and Supply in 2075

The World Health Organization has quantified the amount of water needed to sustain human life (Howard and Bartram, 2003), although the organization's primary concern is water quality (WHO/UNICEF, 2013). Given the projected growth rates in population and its expected peak around 2075 (U.N., 2004), there is a need to better understand whether the world's water supply will be sufficient.

The world's water supply will also be strained by growing economic activity, which is currently growing fastest in developing nations like China (Behren, Giljum, Kovanda, and Niza, 2007). Based on computer simulation models, the regions experiencing the greatest population growth will face limited water supplies that may be insufficient to sustain human life (Hanasaki, 2012).

Significance

By 2075, the world's population is expected to reach about 9.22 billion (U.N., 2004). Computer simulation models predict that growth in population and economic activity could result in nearly half of the world's population living in conditions where water availability is extremely limited (Hanasaki et al., 2012).The projections by Hanasaki and colleagues (2012) were based on the need to expand industrial production, farm land, and energy production to meet the needs of population growth, in addition to growing consumption and hygiene use. Should one-third to over one-half of the world's population find it difficult to get enough water for their personal and economic needs, a major crisis on a global scale could occur within a few decades.

Theoretical Framework

Making adequate projections concerning demand pressures on renewable resources is essential for making informed policy decisions that protect human health, economic systems, and utilized resources. When demand outstrips supply for an essential resource like water, then legislative measures may need to be enacted to minimize the impact on society.

Towards this goal, the increased water demand that a growing global population will generate will be assessed using published data and estimates. Doing so should allow making rough estimates of the difference, region by region, between water demand and supply.

Statement of….....