nine billion people by 2100 (if not earlier). All these people needs a growing
amount of food and water as well.
For instance, in terms of water, given the population growth, the researchers
from UNESCO and the UN believe that within only 20 years mankind’s need for
water will double. The individual water consumption has an impressive increase:
from 15–20 l/day in the Middle Ages to over 600 l/day per person today (of course,
there are considerable differences between countries and geographic areas).
The World Health Organization (WHO) is making a recommendation: to consume approximatively 150 l of water/day per person. In these circumstances, this
recommendation remains a challenge for many countries.
The specialists believe that the Earth would have sufficient resources, if they
were properly used. Nowadays, the consumption is approximately 14% of the
existing resources, and a reduction is desired in the future. Lester Russell Brown
(2006) points out that water consumption has tripled in the last 50 years so a
reduction of this is essential.
Four fifths of our planet – called “The Blue Planet” – is covered by water, the
total amount of water being 1.4 billion km
3 . Of this amount, sea water is 1.362 billion km
3 i.e. approx. 97.3%, while the remaining 0.038 billion km
3 (2.7%) is
freshwater. The largest freshwater reserve is located in the polar caps and glaciers,
estimated at approximatively 77.2% of all fresh water. According to other specialists, glaciers occupy only 11% of the earth’s surface but contain 3/4 of the drinking
water. And thus, we reach one of the main consequences of this phenomenon, of
global warming, namely the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, which are, as we
said, the largest freshwater reserve.
Lester Russell Brown (2011b) mentions a study developed by the Arctic Climate
Impact Assessment (ACIA) in 2005 and titled “Impacts of a Worming Arctic”, in
which it is demonstrated that the Arctic is getting warm twice as fast as the rest of
the planet. Over the past decades in Alaska, western Canada and the north-western
part of Russia, winter temperatures have increased by 3–4
C, the conclusion being
that this area is experiencing one of the most rapid and severe climate change,
representing in fact “a picture of what is happening to our planet.” Here, in the
Arctic, life has and will increasingly suffer more. Arctic animals, especially polar
bears, are in great distress, lack of food will make them cannibals, and very many of
them – the estimates say about two-thirds – will disappear by 2050. Lester Russell
Brown (2011b) reminds us, in one of his last books, that research made by the
National Snow and Ice data Center (NSIDC) between 1974 and 2006 showed that
the melting ice in the Arctic Ocean accelerated by 9.1% every decade, and a record
melting occurred in 2007 which decreased the surface of the Arctic ice by 20%
compared to 2005.
It is known that about 70% of the sunlight that reaches the Arctic ice is reflected
back and only 30% is absorbed. If the ice disappears – more dark water color – the
reflected light will be only 6% while 94% of it will be converted into heat,
contributing to an accelerated melting of the ice.
5 The Global Warming and the Water Resources of the Earth
81
amount of food and water as well.
For instance, in terms of water, given the population growth, the researchers
from UNESCO and the UN believe that within only 20 years mankind’s need for
water will double. The individual water consumption has an impressive increase:
from 15–20 l/day in the Middle Ages to over 600 l/day per person today (of course,
there are considerable differences between countries and geographic areas).
The World Health Organization (WHO) is making a recommendation: to consume approximatively 150 l of water/day per person. In these circumstances, this
recommendation remains a challenge for many countries.
The specialists believe that the Earth would have sufficient resources, if they
were properly used. Nowadays, the consumption is approximately 14% of the
existing resources, and a reduction is desired in the future. Lester Russell Brown
(2006) points out that water consumption has tripled in the last 50 years so a
reduction of this is essential.
Four fifths of our planet – called “The Blue Planet” – is covered by water, the
total amount of water being 1.4 billion km
3 . Of this amount, sea water is 1.362 billion km
3 i.e. approx. 97.3%, while the remaining 0.038 billion km
3 (2.7%) is
freshwater. The largest freshwater reserve is located in the polar caps and glaciers,
estimated at approximatively 77.2% of all fresh water. According to other specialists, glaciers occupy only 11% of the earth’s surface but contain 3/4 of the drinking
water. And thus, we reach one of the main consequences of this phenomenon, of
global warming, namely the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, which are, as we
said, the largest freshwater reserve.
Lester Russell Brown (2011b) mentions a study developed by the Arctic Climate
Impact Assessment (ACIA) in 2005 and titled “Impacts of a Worming Arctic”, in
which it is demonstrated that the Arctic is getting warm twice as fast as the rest of
the planet. Over the past decades in Alaska, western Canada and the north-western
part of Russia, winter temperatures have increased by 3–4
C, the conclusion being
that this area is experiencing one of the most rapid and severe climate change,
representing in fact “a picture of what is happening to our planet.” Here, in the
Arctic, life has and will increasingly suffer more. Arctic animals, especially polar
bears, are in great distress, lack of food will make them cannibals, and very many of
them – the estimates say about two-thirds – will disappear by 2050. Lester Russell
Brown (2011b) reminds us, in one of his last books, that research made by the
National Snow and Ice data Center (NSIDC) between 1974 and 2006 showed that
the melting ice in the Arctic Ocean accelerated by 9.1% every decade, and a record
melting occurred in 2007 which decreased the surface of the Arctic ice by 20%
compared to 2005.
It is known that about 70% of the sunlight that reaches the Arctic ice is reflected
back and only 30% is absorbed. If the ice disappears – more dark water color – the
reflected light will be only 6% while 94% of it will be converted into heat,
contributing to an accelerated melting of the ice.
5 The Global Warming and the Water Resources of the Earth
81