Climate change is a threat multiplier to the world's water supply -- one with human consequences. Clean and reliable water is essential for life. But in many of the poorest parts of the world, water is scarce and often unusable due to pollution and pathogens. The effect is crippling on health, agriculture, development, and social stability. To highlight this fact, the United Nations has observed World Water Day on March 22 since 1993. Because of climate change, the stakes have only become higher.
Droughts are more frequent, floods are more severe, and good water is harder to come by. Right now in Minnesota, people are coming together to help defend places like Moorhead and lower Saint Paul from flooding rivers and contaminated wells. It's inspiring. Minimal property damage is expected and no lives will be lost.
Those living in the world's most vulnerable communities share the same will to rise to the occasion during a such a crisis, yet floods there can result in staggering human loss. For instance, recent floods in Mozambique are contributing to a surge of cholera deaths - at least 40 since January. Thousands are displaced.
The differences between flooding here and there are too vast to draw direct comparisons, but resources and preparedness are two of Minnesota's major advantages. We're fighting floods with the some of the best equipment, technology, and early-warning systems in the world. We have the means to quickly evacuate people to safety. Insurance policies and government agencies like FEMA will assist in the recovery. It's still a disaster, but it's survivable.
We can make such events more survivable in places like Mozambique. On this World Water Day, we renew our call for political action to reduce global-warming emissions and make major investments in climate adaptation for those most at risk.
Simple, relatively inexpensive adaptation projects like sealing wells to protect from contamination, planting mangroves to prevent erosion, purchasing weather radios, and improving irrigation to defend against drought will save lives and livelihoods. In an important essay published today in Business Day, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan describes how climate change and water are contributing factors in the failure of African agriculture, and the adaptation and green revolution needed to create a self-sufficient Africa.
Funding climate adaptation empowers communities most effected to better rally against and survive through disasters. Empowerment we're already lucky to have, but must not take for granted.
More on climate change and World Water Day:
BBC, World Water Day: Why business needs to worry
Business Day, Nigerians still lack access to clean water
Daily Monitor, Safe water still a dream to the majority in Uganda
IDN, The Deadly Waters
San Francisco Chronicle (Blog), ...worst slums in the world
