Environmental Science Essay: Water Scarcity and Global Impacts

This essay examines water scarcity as a significant environmental risk, emphasizing its connection to climate change and its impact on global food production. The author argues that water scarcity is a major crisis, exacerbated by man-made factors such as global food production outpacing population growth and the irregular distribution of water resources. The essay highlights the effects of water scarcity on agriculture, the pressure on water resources, and the need for reassessment, development, and optimization of global water resources. It references studies indicating that a substantial portion of the world's population is affected by water scarcity, particularly in arid regions and the Asia-Pacific region, and addresses the role of industrial water usage. The essay concludes that the water crisis is a real and immediate threat, driven not just by a shortage of water but also by inefficiencies in water usage, and calls for effective management and investment to mitigate its effects.

Running head: ENVIRONMENT: WATER SCARCITY
ENVIRONMENT: WATER SCARCITY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

The global environment is facing severe crisis due to the rapid increase in climate
change. One of the major issues that have emerged in the middle of the ongoing global
environmental crisis is water scarcity. There are several issues that have risen due to the scarcity
of water that have affected various parts of the globe. These include an acute shortage of
drinking water at various places across the world, growing pressure on the water resources
required for agriculture and various other issues.
The thesis statement postulates that water crisis is one of the major environmental risks
caused by man-made factors.
There is a significant issue that affects the prospects of agriculture and food production in
the future (Kumar, 2013). This is water scarcity that affects and is bound to affect the world
population in various ways. Water crisis is affecting agricultural production at various parts of
the globe. It is being estimated that there might not be sufficient water to produce enough food in
the near future. However, environmentalist opine that there is enough water in the world to cater
to the needs of the people. The problem lies in the way water is being used and wasted. The
major issues that can be identified thus, are global food production outpacing the population
growth and the irregular distribution of water resources.
Water scarcity is an important issue that affects billions of people. It is estimated that
almost one fifth of the world are being affected by water scarcity (Molden, De Fraiture &
Rijsberman, 2007). The main issues are almost obviously being related to the rapid population
growth leading to more pressure on the available water resources. At the same time there is a
significant shortage of investment and management. The issues have become more profound in
the arid areas such as the Arab countries. The Asia-Pacific region is also one of the worst
affected region despite having one of the largest share of the world population. Industrial water
usage have further contributed to the growing water crisis.
The implications of the essay points to the fact that water crisis is a real and immediate
threat. It is not being caused so much so due to the shortage of water but the irregularities that are
still existent in water usage across the world. It is important that the global water resources are
reassessed, developed and optimized in accordance of the critical issues that tend to affect them.

References
Kumar, S. (2013). The looming threat of water scarcity. In Vital signs (pp. 96-100). Island Press,
Washington, DC.
Molden, D., De Fraiture, C., & Rijsberman, F. (2007). Water scarcity: the food factor. Issues in
science and technology, 23(4), 39-48.