Context:
Recent observations from NASA and the German Aerospace Center’s GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites indicate a concerning trend: a significant decline in Earth’s total freshwater levels since 2014. This decline points to pressing global water security issues, highlighting the impacts of climate change and increased water usage on freshwater resources.
Relevance:
GS I: Geography
Dimensions of the Article:
- Status of Decline in Freshwater Reserves
- Causes for the Decline in Freshwater Levels
- Implications of Freshwater Decline
Status of Decline in Freshwater Reserves
Global Overview:
- Reduction in Freshwater Storage: Between 2015 and 2023, freshwater storage on land, including lakes, rivers, and groundwater, decreased by 1,200 cubic kilometers.
- Degrading Water Systems: Over half of all nations report deteriorating freshwater systems, with more than 400 river basins seeing reduced water flow, notably the Congo Basin.
- Historical Dryness: The year 2023 was recorded as the driest year in over three decades for rivers worldwide by the World Meteorological Organization, intensifying the global freshwater crisis.
India’s Freshwater Challenges:
- Disproportionate Resource Distribution: Despite housing 18% of the world’s population, India controls only 4% of global freshwater resources and 2.4% of the Earth’s surface area.
- River Pollution and Reservoir Depletion: About half of India’s rivers are polluted, and over 150 main reservoirs operate at merely 38% capacity, contributing to a severe national water crisis.
- Water Stress: According to the 2018 Composite Water Management Index by NITI Aayog, around 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress.
- Groundwater Depletion: Critical water table declines are prevalent in agricultural regions like Punjab and Haryana due to excessive groundwater use for irrigation and household needs.
- Drought Prone Areas: Regions such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Gujarat frequently experience droughts, exacerbating the depletion of already strained water reserves.
Causes for the Decline in Freshwater Levels
Global Factors:
- El Niño Impact: The significant 2014-2016 El Niño event disrupted global rainfall patterns, influencing drought conditions.
- Climate Change Effects: Climate change has led to irregular and uneven rainfall, increased evaporation rates, and more intense drought conditions by altering atmospheric water-holding capacities.
- Soil and Ecosystem Degradation: Intense precipitation leading to surface runoff, soil compaction during dry periods, and the destruction of ecosystems like wetlands and forests diminish land’s water retention capacity.
- Deforestation Impact: Forest loss contributes to soil erosion, hindering the land’s ability to absorb rainwater and replenish water bodies.
Regional and Sectoral Strains:
- Agricultural Demand: Agriculture uses 70% of the world’s accessible freshwater, but inefficient irrigation and water-intensive crops exacerbate water wastage.
- Groundwater Over-Extraction: In areas with scant rainfall, the heavy reliance on groundwater for irrigation leads to its rapid depletion as usage outpaces natural replenishment.
- Industrial and Urban Pressure: Industries and urban centers heavily reliant on groundwater further stress water resources.
- Pollution from Wastewater: Industrial waste and untreated wastewater contribute significantly to the pollution of water bodies, affecting both water quality and availability over the long term.
Implications of Freshwater Decline
Biodiversity and Ecosystems:
- Species Decline: According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), there has been an 84% reduction in freshwater species since 1970 due to habitat loss, pollution, and barriers such as dams.
- Ecosystem Instability: These adverse factors disrupt ecosystems, endangering biodiversity and the critical services they provide.
Social and Economic Impact:
- Increased Vulnerability: The 2024 UN report on water stress indicates that diminishing water availability places substantial stress on farmers and communities, potentially leading to famine, conflicts, poverty, and a heightened risk of waterborne diseases.
- Economic Constraints: Industries face operational challenges due to water scarcity, which stunts economic development and constrains job creation. By 2025, it’s projected that 1.8 billion people will face absolute water scarcity, exacerbated by rapid population growth, inefficient water use, and inadequate governance.
- Urban Water Crisis: Major Indian cities like Chennai and Bengaluru have experienced acute water shortages, disrupting daily life and inflating costs related to water transport and management.
Environmental Services:
- Nutrient Cycling and Productivity: Freshwater ecosystems are crucial for nutrient cycling, which enhances agricultural productivity. Wetlands also play a key role in flood mitigation and bolstering climate resilience.
- Service Degradation: The deterioration of these ecosystems compromises vital environmental services, undermining both environmental and community stability.
Geopolitical Tensions:
- International Disputes: Over 60% of the world’s freshwater is shared across international borders, making resource decline a potential catalyst for disputes over water rights and usage.
- Regional Conflicts: Water scarcity has fueled political tensions, such as the Nile River dispute involving Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, centered around Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam which threatens Egypt’s water supply.
- Domestic Disputes: In India, water sharing disputes like those under the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan and conflicts over the Cauvery and Krishna rivers contribute to sustained inter-state tensions.
Technological Strain:
- Impact on AI Infrastructure: The decline in freshwater resources also affects Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, which require significant amounts of water for cooling data centers. It is estimated that by 2027, AI will consume between 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters of water annually, further straining limited water supplies.
-Source: Business Standards
