When it comes to articles on our environment every bit of bad news, often has a bit of good news attached to it.
That is certainly the case with this piece, and just as well because the bad bit seems pretty worrying.What would actually happen if everyone in the world went vegetarian?
By 2030 the world is facing a global water deficit of 40 per cent, a recent United Nations report has just argued.
Bypassing all the jargon, if true, this means that the world will not have enough water to meet its needs in just 14 years time.
Reasons for this include a growing population, erratic rainfall due to climate change and low underwater reserves.
This will get worse over time, and by 2050 it is predicted water demand will actually have increased by a staggering 55 per cent.
If we carry on at the same rate the results will be fairly monumental:
Crops failing, industries and ecosystems collapsing, power shortages and disease and poverty getting worse.
But, there is hope, the good news comes in the fact that experts believe something can still be done about it.
To overcome a deficit of that amount obviously requires a fundamental re-think, which the report says need to start happening now.
The suggestions include:
- Improving the efficiency of water similar to one used in Singapore – which has created a water recycling system to cater for its dense population.
- Improve the resilience of our energy infrastructure
- Raising water prices to decrease consumption (not that desirable)
- Better regulate how much water is used
To what extent this bleak vision of the future is set to come true is certainly open to debate amongst experts but it certainly provides a little food for thought.