Water forms the basis for all life on Earth. It has shaped human activity and influenced the development of entire societies. Water has always been a mainstay of health, prosperity and power. Water means life or death.
Image: ORFHowever, changes are emerging in the Earth's water cycle. These have tangible effects on people and the environment. The catastrophic consequences of extreme weather events range from too much water to widespread droughts. But how can this be, on a planet where 70 per cent of the surface is covered by water?
Image: ORFExperts around the world are urging us to rethink the way we use water. Fresh water accounts for only 2.5 percent of the total volume of water on earth. Of this small proportion, only 0.03 percent is found in rivers, wetlands, lakes, soil and the atmosphere and is therefore more or less easily accessible to humans.
Image: ORFWater is practically never "lost" on Earth. But precipitation volumes and zones are changing. Extreme weather conditions last longer and become more intense. The consequences are obvious and far-reaching. Drinking water shortages, dwindling water levels in lakes and rivers, floods and mudslides are increasingly becoming the focus of media coverage.
Image: ORFConsumption must not simply continue to rise from year to year. Rather, we must make better use of what is available to us. On the one hand, this means using extracted water more efficiently and, on the other, finding solutions to adapt to the new circumstances.
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