The Stream, March 14: South Africa’s Water Gap

South Africa could face a 17 percent gap between water supply and demand by 2030, a shortage that would significantly impact the country’s economy, according to the new Water Disclosure SA report published by the Carbon Disclosure Project. The survey found that 58 percent of South African businesses have already experienced negative impacts from water scarcity, Business Day reported.

The migration of people displaced by climate change is a growing humanitarian threat in Asia Pacific, according to a new report released by the Asian Development Bank that urges countries to plan ahead to accommodate the shifting populations, AlertNet reported.

Mitigating Drought
China’s Jiangxi province is seeking support from the central government to dam Poyang Lake in order to maintain higher water levels during drought, Xinhua reported. Poyang Lake is the country’s largest freshwater lake and flows into the Yangtze River, raising concerns that damming it could disrupt water supply downstream.

France hopes to mitigate drought and promote efficient water management in its agricultural sector by passing new rules that will make it easier for farmers to develop water storage projects, Bloomberg reported.

Waste and Pollution
Australia’s government passed a bill that will locate the country’s first nuclear waste dump in a remote Aboriginal community, despite concerns that the area is prone to flooding and earthquakes, according to the Guardian.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation called on Maryland’s state government to dedicate funding for upgrading sewage treatment plants and storm water systems in order to meet goals for restoring the Chesapeake Bay, the Associated Press reported.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek