Earth's water cycle is "off balance" for the first time in human history, threatening more than 50% of global food production by 2050

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

The system that moves water around the Earth is off balance for the first time in human history | CNN

WWW.CNN.COM

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Destructive land use, mismanagement and climate change are fueling a water disaster set to wreak havoc on economies and lives, a new report warns

 

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Humanity has thrown the global water cycle off balance “for the first time in human history,” fueling a growing water disaster that will wreak havoc on economies, food production and lives, according to a landmark new report.

 

Decades of destructive land use and water mismanagement have collided with the human-caused climate crisis to put “unprecedented stress” on the global water cycle, said the report published Wednesday by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, a group of international leaders and experts.

 

The water cycle refers to the complex system by which water moves around the Earth. Water evaporates from the ground — including from lakes, rivers and plants — and rises into the atmosphere, forming large rivers of water vapor able to travel long distances, before cooling, condensing and eventually falling back to the ground as rain or snow.

 

Disruptions to the water cycle are already causing suffering. Nearly 3 billion people face water scarcity. Crops are shriveling and cities are sinking as the groundwater beneath them dries out.

 

The consequences will be even more catastrophic without urgent action. The water crisis threatens more than 50% of global food production and risks shaving an average of 8% off countries’ GDPs by 2050, with much higher losses of up to 15% projected in low-income countries, the report found.

 

“For the first time in human history, we are pushing the global water cycle out of balance,” said Johan Rockström, co-chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water and a report author. “Precipitation, the source of all freshwater, can no longer be relied upon.”

 

 

[CayceG]

Oh... oh no.

 

 

(water knife)

[Bacon]

[S3xB0t]

Sounds like an opportunity for innovation to me! *phones Belon Tusk, the cold-storage clone of Elon to be released in 2045*

[Brian]

Yankees have a crushing defeat. Come to D1P for a distraction and see this. 
 

[S3xB0t]

2 minutes ago, Brian said:

Yankees have a crushing defeat. Come to D1P for a distraction and see this. 
 

The Yankees lost? That’s a cause for celebration 

[Brian]

2 minutes ago, S3xB0t said:

The Yankees lost? That’s a cause for celebration 

[thewhyteboar]

This reminds me of a book. I don’t think anyone here has ever heard of it. It’s called The Water Knife. 

[AbsolutSurgen]

Can someone explain specifically what this story is alleging is the problem like I am 5.

 

'cause I read this and was.

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The report calculates that, on average, people need a minimum of about 4,000 liters (just over 1,000 gallons) a day to lead a “dignified life,” far above the 50 to 100 liters the United Nations says is needed for basic needs, and more than most regions will be able to provide from local sources.

 I need 4 thousand litres of water a day?

40x-80x what the UN has said?

[S3xB0t]

3 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

Can someone explain specifically what this story is alleging is the problem like I am 5.

 

'cause I read this and was.

 I need 4 thousand litres of water a day?

40x-80x what the UN has said?

Uh, if you have any respect for yourself, yes.

[AbsolutSurgen]

2 minutes ago, S3xB0t said:

Uh, if you have any respect for yourself, yes.

My water bill with the city needs to go up a whole lot. 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

5 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

Can someone explain specifically what this story is alleging is the problem like I am 5.

 

'cause I read this and was.

 I need 4 thousand litres of water a day?

40x-80x what the UN has said?

You’d be shocked how much water it takes for even a modest amount of meat and some modern conveniences

[marioandsonic]

Sorry everyone, there's nothing humanity can do.

 

Unless it comes to hurricanes, in which democrats have the ability to harness Jewish space lasers.

[AbsolutSurgen]

4 minutes ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

You’d be shocked how much water it takes for even a modest amount of meat and some modern conveniences

You'd be shocked at how much more this is than the number estimated by both the US and Canadian governments.,

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

11 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

You'd be shocked at how much more this is than the number estimated by both the US and Canadian governments.,

From the report itself, which was not linked in tfa. So as I assumed it’s due largely to the amount of water needed for e.g. meat. It takes about 2000 gallons for one pound of beef for example