What are the regional vulnerabilities in the availability of fresh water to support human needs and sustain freshwater biodiversity, and how can these vulnerabilities be mitigated?

Fresh water is multi-user resource subject to multiple threats including over-exploitation and contamination such that both quantity and quality of water is absolutely limiting for humans in many parts of the globe. Freshwater ecosystems support around 10% of global biodiversity (in less than 1% of the Earth’s surface area), and provide valuable ecosystem services upon which humans depend. Growing human water demands are placing increasing pressure on the ability of freshwater ecosystems to meet human needs, and degrading the capacity of fresh waters to sustain biodiversity. There is evidence that freshwater biodiversity is already undergoing pandemic decline, but responses to these declines at regional or larger scales are lacking. Global climate change and burgeoning populations will exacerbate present conflicts between humans and nature as demands for fresh water increase, but the vulnerability of fresh water biodiversity to impacts arising from this conflict will vary regionally. It is imperative that we identify which regions are now – and which will be – most vulnerable with respect to human needs for water and potential biodiversity loss. These data will provide an essential first step to devising adaptation and mitigation measures intended to ensure that human water requirements can be met without loss of biodiversity or irreparable degradation of freshwater ecosystem function.

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1. pervaz says:

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   In next decade availability of minimum acceptable quantity and quality of water for plants, animals and human being will be a great challenge. This may induce new diseases and threat to the survival of susceptible species or vulnerable groups. It may impose serious health problem in plants, animals particularly human being due to polluted and contaminated water. This will increase the cost of living. Peoples have to spend more on clean drinking water, medical care, laundary etc. Soil productivity will be reduced resulting in grains and food shortage…..