Water Scarcity

Between 2000 and 2030, Asia's urban population is projected to grow from 1.4 billion to 2.6 billion; such rapid growth can dramatically increase per capita use of freshwater. Here, a muddy slum in Agra, India, with the Taj Mahal in the far distance.

The era of globalization is going to confront, among many other things, the challenge of the growing population, deterioration of environmental quality, and scarcities of certain resources that are indispensable necessities for the sustenance of life on Earth. Of all the planet's renewable resources, the availability of freshwater is likely to pose the greatest challenge because of an increased demand with population rise and economic activities and shrinking supplies due to overexploitation and pollution. The availability of this key natural resource in acceptable ...