By 2025, assuming current consumption patterns continue, at least 3.5 billion people- or 48 percent of the world's projected population - will live in water-stressed river basins. Of these, 2.4 billion will live under high water stress conditions. If we look at the needs of the environment, already 1.4 billion people live in basins where water is overused to the extent that it results in serious environmental damage.
According to the 2002 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 3011 freshwater species are listed as threatened, endangered or extinct, of which more than 30% (1039 species) are fish. In South Africa, for example, 63 percent of freshwater fish are threatened or endangered; in Europe, 42 percent; and in Iran, 22 percent.
Furthermore, over 50 % of the world's wetlands have been destroyed, even though these freshwater ecosystems provide an estimated annual value of US$ 8,700 billion per year to humanity: they are the most productive ecosystems of this planet.
The overuse of water, mostly by agriculture (accounting for 70 % of global water use) and wastage of water (70 % of the water used for agriculture never reaches the crop) are having serious impacts on ecosystems and people that depend upon them for their livelihoods.
According to the 2002 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 3011 freshwater species are listed as threatened, endangered or extinct, of which more than 30% (1039 species) are fish. In South Africa, for example, 63 percent of freshwater fish are threatened or endangered; in Europe, 42 percent; and in Iran, 22 percent.
Furthermore, over 50 % of the world's wetlands have been destroyed, even though these freshwater ecosystems provide an estimated annual value of US$ 8,700 billion per year to humanity: they are the most productive ecosystems of this planet.
The overuse of water, mostly by agriculture (accounting for 70 % of global water use) and wastage of water (70 % of the water used for agriculture never reaches the crop) are having serious impacts on ecosystems and people that depend upon them for their livelihoods.