Monday, October 25, 2010

Water: too little or too much are both bad

A new study investigates the future of drought (and it isn't pretty). Note that when reading the images in this study, figures of -4 and below are considered "extreme drought", rarely experienced before now. Meanwhile, the Amazon is currently experiencing its worst drought in almost fifty years.

At the other end of the world, Greenland ice loss is accelerating. And more on Greenland: the plugs in the bathtub.

Pakistan is not the only place to have suffered record floods this year. Over seven million people in Pakistan remain without permanent shelter as a result of the flooding that began over three months ago.

And linking water to fossil fuels: the water cost of Canada's tar sands.

9 comments:

byron smith said...

Too little; too much.

byron smith said...

Greenland may hit tipping point by 2040. The article doesn't comment on how long it would take for the melting to occur, however, and it might be centuries. (H/T Nick)

byron smith said...

Stephen Leahy: Peak water has come and gone.

byron smith said...

Damian Carrington: Water as Ponzi scheme.

And China warned about coming crop decline due to water stress.

byron smith said...

Reuters: Saudi Arabia's water woes.

byron smith said...

Water scarcity in the US. A few charts and figures.

byron smith said...

Documentary: Last call at the oasis.

byron smith said...

DD: World's water use unsustainable. A global study says that unsustainable water use threatens agriculture, business, and populations in China, India, Pakistan, South Africa and the US.

byron smith said...

Guardian: UK's year of drought and flood.

"A dramatic illustration of the extraordinary changes in weather is revealed by water flow measurements in the Tyne. In March, flow was 28% of its long-term average for that time of year. By June, after months of heavy rain, the flow hit 406%."