New research shows that we are perhaps headed towards a greater water crisis than previously expected. Water and climate change are inextricably linked, as climate change affects the wold’s water in many complex ways. Rising sea levels, severe droughts or floods, unpredictable rainfall patterns and many more water-related downfalls of climate change.

Earlier, we already wrote about the plastic soup problem, leading to more plastics than fish in the oceans if we continue heading this way. All part of the same global problem of overproduction, climate change and diminishing flows of fresh (clean) water. Now, it turnes out that previous models have possibly underestimated the sensitivity of water availability in a warming climate. Meaning that our water crisis is possibly more dire as we previously expected.

THE WATER CRISIS EXPLAINED

Before we dive into the topic of a global water crisis 2.0, it is good to take a broader view of the water crisis and provide you with some insights. So, what is the water crisis about?

The water crisis is related to water scarcity that limits access to safe water for drinking and basic hygiene.

Clean, healthy drinking water is a luxury that not everyone has access to. And in the near future, this issue will only spread, due to our inefficient way of water-use and neglecting our nature. Polarization, overloading production processes on a (too) large scale, and single-use plastics are all part of the water crisis, as they have a direct and indirect effect on our environment and our supply of fresh water.

Clean water can be scarce. Water can be contaminated and with a multitude of contaminations like microplastics or PFAS (something you frequently heard in the news lately). But water itself can be sparse as well. For example due to extreme droughts or floods and sewage systems failures. The main reason for this is global warming and climate change.

When water becomes scarce, it becomes more expensive. And that is something that only the wealthy can afford.