Water scarcity and security
Big idea: Water security means having reliable access to enough clean water. When demand exceeds supply, we have water scarcity — and billions of people face this daily.
Types of water scarcity
Physical scarcity
- Not enough water exists in the region
- Caused by: arid climate, drought, overuse
- Examples: Middle East, North Africa, Australia
- Solutions: desalination, water transfer, efficiency
Economic scarcity
- Water exists but people cannot access it
- Caused by: poverty, lack of infrastructure, poor governance
- Examples: Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia
- Solutions: investment, infrastructure, governance
Factors increasing water stress
- Population growth — more people = more demand
- Economic development — higher living standards = more water use
- Climate change — changing precipitation, more droughts/floods
- Pollution — contamination reduces usable supply
- Urbanization — concentrated demand, infrastructure strain
For longer responses about water scarcity, define water security and scarcity first, then compare physical vs economic scarcity. Add drivers (population, development, climate change, pollution) and finish with a balanced conclusion that considers both conflict and cooperation.