By the year 2030, an estimated 50 per cent of the world's population will live in coastal areas which are exposed to flooding, storms and tsunamis. By 2030, these three countries will account for 44% of the world’s population annually affected by riverine floods, and 58% of population affected by coastal floods. Willem Ligtvoet, Programme Manager Water, Climate and Adaptation, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency “Economic damages from floods are already formidable under the current climate and will grow tremendously in the future as a result of climate change and socioeconomic development. Governments have tended to invest heavily in mega-projects like dams, canals, aqueducts, pipelines and water reservoirs, the report says.
What will happen to water in 2030?
Source Feeding 9 billion people by 2050, will require a 60 percent increase in agricultural production and a 15 percent increase in water withdrawals. Source The global middle class will surge from 1,8 to 4,9 billion by 2030, which will result in a significant increase in freshwater consumption. Source Between 2050 and 2100, there is an 85 percent chance of a drought in the Central Plains and Southwestern United States lasting 35 years or more. Source Water demand is projected to grow by 55 percent by 2050 (including a 400-percent rise in manufacturing water demand).
Smart water management is also vital to many of the other SDGs, such as eliminating hunger and ensuring good health and well-being.
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