World Environment Day: We’re Heading For A Dry Spell

For World Environment Day, The Quint looks at the water situation around the world.

Many parts of the world are reeling under drought, and if they aren’t already, they will very soon. (Photo: iStockphoto)

For World Environment Day 2016 on 5 June, The Quint brings you a series of stories on the state of water in India. The past couple of years have been drier than usual. Weak monsoons had devastating consequences for farmers across the country. Follow our World Environment Day coverage for a look at our water situation.

Per capita water consumption varies dramatically around the world. In India, the average person uses 135 litres per day, while in China, the average is 86. In America, the number is roughly five times the amount of water used daily in India. On average, people consume 575 litres of water per day.

This includes water for showers, using the toilet, washing dishes, cooking – pretty much most things you people do during the day.

Data from the UNDP Human Development Report.

But water is a precious commodity, and it’s rapidly slipping through our fingers. Many parts of the world are reeling under drought, and if they aren’t already, they will very soon.

In India, 300 million people are suffering because of the drought. Across the world, a total of 783 million people don’t have access to clean water.

And relief doesn’t look like it will come soon; climate change is expected to exacerbate existing problems.

The World Resources Institute’s Water Risk Atlas. See the interactive map here.

This 2016 drought is of richer and more water-guzzling India. This classless drought makes for a crisis that is more severe and calls for solutions that are more complex. The severity and intensity of the drought is not about lack of rainfall; it is about the lack of planning and foresight, and criminal neglect. Drought is human-made.

Sunita Narain, <a href="http://www.cseindia.org/content/drought-human-made-says-sunita-narain">Centre for Science and Environment</a>

Water scarcity is a major global concern. This story is part of The Quint’s #WaterBucketChallenge campaign for World Environment Day 2016. Join us in trying to save water one bucket at a time using our hashtag and make sure you tag us too!