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World faces water shortage
18 Nov 2008
Water is a scarce and much-valued resource in many parts of Africa, but scientists have warned that this continent is not the only place where water should be valued - and protected.
A conference was told that global warming was disrupting water flow patterns and was leading to an increase in floods, droughts and storms - which affected the availability of drinking water.
This meant that half the world's population could face a shortage of clean water by 2080.
It was revealed that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had discovered that up to two billion people won't have access to clean water by 2050. This could rise to 3.2 billion by 2080. Global warming is seen as the biggest culprit and governments have been warned to protect water resources and fight climate change.
What can you do?
- Conserve water as much as possible
- Don't leave taps running, fix dripping taps and faucets.
- Water the garden only after hours, when it is cooler and the water does not evaporate so fast
- Use recycled water from the house to water your garden
- Get a rainwater tank to collect rainwater
- Don't plant exotic trees or plants, they "drink" more water than indigenous trees
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