The Stream, October 9: Millions More Will Face Water Scarcity from Climate Change

Water Scarcity
Between 500 million and 1 billion more people will face water scarcity by 2100 if the world continues to warm, according to a new study from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Bloomberg News reported. The study assessed water scarcity and other ecosystem changes under different warming scenarios.

Energy and Water
Water shortages are increasingly affecting power generation in the United States, where the majority of power plants use water to create steam and cool their systems, The New York Times reported, citing an analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The analysis suggests that the industry will need to turn to water saving technology to keep the plants running as water scarcity worsens, and policies governing water usage will need to improve.

Utilities in the United Kingdom are considering measures to reduce water rates for energy companies that want to pursue hydraulic fracturing, Bloomberg News reported. The companies would likely pay lower rates for the water than households.

Mining
A new piece of legislation meant to protect glaciers could curb mining in Chile, which holds some of the world’s largest copper and gold reserves, the Associated Press reported. Glaciers supply much of the country’s fresh water, and, depending on how they are defined by the new law, miners may be banned from working in areas near them.

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