The first step is to recognize that the problems we face are not merely local. A destabilised water cycle affects every corner of the world and reinforces global warming
The first step is to recognise that the problems we face are not merely local. A destabilised water cycle affects every corner of the world and reinforces global warming.Year after year, in one region after another, record-high heat waves and droughts are followed by destructive storms and floods.
The first step is to recognise that the problems we face are not merely local tragedies. A destabilised water cycle increasingly affects every corner of the world. Current approaches tend to deal with the water we can see – the “blue water” in our rivers, lakes, and aquifers – and assume that the water supply is stable year after year. But this is no longer true, as changes in land use, climate change and a water cycle out of kilter are affecting rainfall patterns.
This process represents one of the most significant natural subsidies to the global economy. Yet the loss of wetlands and soil moisture, together with deforestation, is depleting the planet’s greatest carbon stores, with devastating consequences for the pace of global warming. Rising temperatures then trigger extreme heat waves and increase evaporative demand in the atmosphere, which severely dries landscapes and heightens the risk of wildfires.
Launching a new Green Revolution in food systems to cut back on water use while increasing agricultural yields to meet a growing population’s nutritional needs. To fix chronic underinvestment in water, we must reprioritise water infrastructure in public finance, where it is oddly neglected in most countries. Policymakers can draw on best practices in public-private partnerships to provide fair incentives for long-term commitments, while serving the interests of the public, especially underserved communities.
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