Why does Global warming recieve more concern than protecting our fresh water supplies?

Question

As the human population has grown we have continued to use more and more fresh water. Since the worlds population is not slowing down we will continue to have a need for more fresh water. And we are already seeing significant drops in our reservoirs. Removing salt from seawater takes a ton of energy and is not a practical solution for cities that are very far inland. Many rivers in developing countries are badly polluted because they do not have systems for water treatment or regulations on factory waste.

Global warming or not... our water problem is going to be here before any other eviromental issues. People can live with the temperature being a little warmer... in fact history shows humans do better in warmer temps, the population will most likely see an increase with warmer temps, which would only worsen the fresh water issue. People CAN NOT live without drinkable water. Global warming and CO2 emissions will be forgotten when you are at war over who gets to have a drink

Answer 1

Both global warming and water shortages are very serious issues. I think the figure that the World Health Organisation has calculated is that there are 2 billion people on the planet that do not have access to a reliable supply of fresh water.

I was in Africa last year and there was something of a drought. The only well still with water was the one at the local school (if you can call it a school). It meant that most people had to walk several miles to get water. We were OK because we had a truck and could buy bottled water by the case load, most people have neither transport or money to buy water. Seeing the effects first hand opens your eyes far more than anything you see in the media.

One consolation of global warming is that it does increase the average global rainfall, it also causes droughts but the net result is an increase in rainfall for most people.

Water shortages are a catastrophe now, global warming is set to be an ever greater catastrophe in the future if nothing is done about it.

We need to be treating both issues as a top priority, there seems to be a lot of talking about both but not a lot of action.

Answer 2

You seem to underestimate the impact of global warming on the hydrology in the world.

The problems we are encountering NOW with water will just become more accurate with global warming. Even in an ideal case, if we are able to limit the temperature increase to 2°C the change on water will be dramatic. 2°C leeave much more room for evaporation and leaves us further away from the "cold window" necessary to change the clouds into rain.

Deserts will grow... some rivers will dry out... some others will have more water, but not necessarily where we need it.
So it will lead to a global disruption of the water cycle.

Answer 3

Water shortages are real. But they're a lot easier to solve than global warming.

For example, we waste enormous amounts of water on things like Kentucky Bluegrass lawns.

And, as pointed out above, global warming will reduce fresh water supplies. The mechanism is that precipitation will shift toward the poles and away from large numbers of people.

http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/wg1-report.html
summarized at:
http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

Answer 4

Global warming will have a direct influence on watter supplies. It will affect snow levels in the mountians, rains in the valeys. The alteration of the patterns of precipitation will change the habitable locations of the earth, causing people stuck in one geopolitial area to run out, while people in another will have possibly too much at one time.

Answer 5

Clack how Israel treats salt water without power to change to fresh water. They have long buildings that are almost all water the water is evaporated by the sun and the wet air is pumped into a tube under the water where it is condensed and collected . this method requires very little power.

Answer 6

Your right about the fresh water issue,but we are more concen about globa warming because in the artic the ice are melting and many animals such as the polar bear are loseing there homes and are dying.Other animals across the world are getting sicker and are dying too because of globa warming.That inculdes the animals that we eat.Golba warming can effect everything more than fresh water issues does that is why people are more concern about globa warming then about fresh water issues.

I hope that will help you.

Answer 7

Simply because "global warming" is a political tool to enforce draconian restrictions on current lifestyles of the middle and lower class while the rich politicians who support it can continue lavish lifestyles and still feel good about themselves.

Clean water is not a political issue for these environmental socialists, so they don't care. Besides, it affects poor people more and they don't care about them. All they want is control.

The fires in Tahoe are due to environmental restrictions on clear cutting. So environmental nuts are destroying the planet little by little, while the poor are being left behind. It's part of the socialist agenda, so either oppose it or get used to it.

Answer 8

You make a great point, but GW encompasses many of your/our environmental concerns.
If people viewed the GW movement properly, they would see it isn't only about removing CO2 from the atmosphere, but dealing with any environmental pollution problems together as a whole, by creating more sustainable lifestyles, and habits.
the biggest problem on our planet isn't GW, it is lack of sustainable, environment friendly practices, which is the focus of the GW movement. Once sustainable practices become more mainstream, you will see that it will benefit the environment in all areas, not just the atmosphere. then the small things can be dealt with after wards.

Answer 9

Well, you make a great point there. But right now, Global Warming seems a bigger issue considering it's getting worse and worse.

Answer 10

the water will be fine bcuz theres been the same amount of fresh water since the beginning.