The Stream, July 24: Scientists Predict More Severe Floods in Europe

Floods and Climate Change
Man-made climate change is increasing the size of “atmospheric rivers” that carry water vapor, thereby increasing the risk of major floods in certain regions of the world, scientists concluded in a study published in Environmental Research Letters. Northwest Europe, including the United Kingdom, is one region that could suffer more frequent and severe floods, the Guardian reported.

China Coal
China’s coal mines are running up against scarce water supplies, as approximately 80 percent of the country’s coal is mined in regions that have “stressed” water supplies or “absolute scarcity” of water supplies, according to the United Nations, Bloomberg News reported. Re-using water is an urgent matter for the coal industry, experts say.

Desalination in South Africa
A new desalination plant will provide 500,000 liters (132,000 gallons) of fresh water to Ilembe, a fast-growing municipality north of Durban, South Africa, Bloomberg News reported. The city plans to sell the salt extracted during the desalination process.

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