Paris Agreement on Climate Change
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groundwater near the coast moving inland (Abedin et al., 2019). Abedin
et al. address the nexus of climate change, water scarcity, and health. They
state that “malnutrition and water scarcity may be the most important health
consequences of climate change” (Abedin et al., 2019). Irrigated agriculture
and crops that depend on natural precipitation are impacted by water scarcity. Climate variability impacts include drought during dry periods and
floods during the wet season.
The impacts of climate change on the water cycle have been reviewed
because of the great importance of water for food, environmental systems,
and life in urban communities (World Bank, 2016). Water is essential for
economic development and for meeting the Sustainable Development
Goals. Water resources management is very important when there is water
scarcity. Approximately 1.6 billion people live in countries with water
scarcity (World Bank, 2016). Water storage reservoirs are needed in many
locations to manage water supply, and some of these also have value for
flood control.
About 30% of the available fresh water is present as groundwater. Because
of water scarcity, the management of groundwater resources is already a
major challenge in many locations in the world, including some parts of
California and Kansas. When wells are pumped until the supply is exhausted,
this creates a major challenge for a community. Water crises and the failure
to adapt to climate change have been identified as two of the greatest global
concerns which affect social stability (World Bank, 2016).
Because of the progress in renewable energy from wind and solar sources,
the desalination of water using electricity from renewable sources can provide water supplies in coastal locations. Many countries have desalination
plants that serve some of their water needs.
A hugely significant impact of climate change that we are only just beginning to understand is the migration of people due to the loss of property
because of climate change. The World Bank predicts that over 140 million
people will migrate because of the impacts of climate change (Rigaud et al.,
2018); that migration includes movement within countries and migration
from one country to another. The report expects increased migration in the
future because of local changes in water availability, temperature, and sea
level rise, all of which will result in areas of the world becoming non- viable
(e.g. too hot to live in, prone to chronic crop failure, or simply not having
enough water). And, of course, some migration of people will be due to the
flat- out loss of property due to adverse weather events or sea level rise that
are exacerbated by climate change.
Finding good places for climate migrants to go to, as with economic or political migrants, is becoming a significant challenge. Large cities are expected
to become even larger as people move there in search of employment and
better living conditions. Better wages and better opportunities are the goals
of many migrants. Violence in some communities (perhaps exacerbated by
the above impacts of climate change) can also contribute to migration trends.
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15
groundwater near the coast moving inland (Abedin et al., 2019). Abedin
et al. address the nexus of climate change, water scarcity, and health. They
state that “malnutrition and water scarcity may be the most important health
consequences of climate change” (Abedin et al., 2019). Irrigated agriculture
and crops that depend on natural precipitation are impacted by water scarcity. Climate variability impacts include drought during dry periods and
floods during the wet season.
The impacts of climate change on the water cycle have been reviewed
because of the great importance of water for food, environmental systems,
and life in urban communities (World Bank, 2016). Water is essential for
economic development and for meeting the Sustainable Development
Goals. Water resources management is very important when there is water
scarcity. Approximately 1.6 billion people live in countries with water
scarcity (World Bank, 2016). Water storage reservoirs are needed in many
locations to manage water supply, and some of these also have value for
flood control.
About 30% of the available fresh water is present as groundwater. Because
of water scarcity, the management of groundwater resources is already a
major challenge in many locations in the world, including some parts of
California and Kansas. When wells are pumped until the supply is exhausted,
this creates a major challenge for a community. Water crises and the failure
to adapt to climate change have been identified as two of the greatest global
concerns which affect social stability (World Bank, 2016).
Because of the progress in renewable energy from wind and solar sources,
the desalination of water using electricity from renewable sources can provide water supplies in coastal locations. Many countries have desalination
plants that serve some of their water needs.
A hugely significant impact of climate change that we are only just beginning to understand is the migration of people due to the loss of property
because of climate change. The World Bank predicts that over 140 million
people will migrate because of the impacts of climate change (Rigaud et al.,
2018); that migration includes movement within countries and migration
from one country to another. The report expects increased migration in the
future because of local changes in water availability, temperature, and sea
level rise, all of which will result in areas of the world becoming non- viable
(e.g. too hot to live in, prone to chronic crop failure, or simply not having
enough water). And, of course, some migration of people will be due to the
flat- out loss of property due to adverse weather events or sea level rise that
are exacerbated by climate change.
Finding good places for climate migrants to go to, as with economic or political migrants, is becoming a significant challenge. Large cities are expected
to become even larger as people move there in search of employment and
better living conditions. Better wages and better opportunities are the goals
of many migrants. Violence in some communities (perhaps exacerbated by
the above impacts of climate change) can also contribute to migration trends.