Future Earth: solid and dry

These and other equally disturbing reality will be presented this week, about 35,000 people from 180 countries at the World Water Forum, the collection is held every three years, and notifies the most alarming reports on the state of rivers in the world, lakes and aquifers. < br />  
It is expected that over the next four decades, the demand for water will increase by 55 per cent, says a new study that will be presented at the forum in France. Creating a water reform the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), points out that the rapid pace of urbanization, climate change and changes in the world economy have a growing pressure on water resources. Perhaps in 40 years, more than 40 percent of the world population, which is 3, 9 billion people living in the river will be in a state of severe "water stress". UN warns that such effects may feel some parts of Europe, up to 44 million people by 2070.

Anthony Cox, director of water programs run by the OECD, said that the world is on the verge of "water crisis", a growing number of people do not have access to water, which leads to both economic and human casualties. According to the UN, in 1900 more than 11 million people have died because of the drought, more than 2 billion suffer from it - more than any other physical hazards.

OECD calls for "urgent reform" of water resources management, and involves the use of economic instruments such as taxes, tariffs and transfers, to encourage greater "efficiency of water use».
Water management can not be regarded as a local problem, it should be seen as a global, says Olcay Anver, coordinator of the assessment of the United Nations and its Rapporteur. "Water is not only what we drink, what we wash ourselves, or that we use for irrigation, it is also part of the foods that we eat and use," - he said. "From the water depends on trade policy, the actions of one nation or one corporation may have an impact on water shortage somewhere else».

However, the forum organized by the Government of France, the World Water Council and the city of Marseille, where he runs, has been criticized for the fact that he is just a "talking shop". "They are there will be a lot to discuss, but it is not a place where there is a change," said Daniel Yeo, Senior Policy Advisor for WaterAid water security. "The reality is that dirty water kills children in sub-Saharan Africa, more than tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS combined We have the technology to change that. We need political will and internal capacities to deliver it to the developing countries. "