Water and climate change

Updated: Wed, 13 Jun 2018

Running Dry: Competing for water on a thirsty planet

Growing populations, more farming and economic growth, climate change and a rush of people to cities all are increasing pressure on the world's limited water supplies

As glaciers shrink, Peru sisters build reservoirs for city water
As climate change hits Andean glaciers, bringing water shortages, Quechua sisters are building traditional reservoirs to harvest rain By Sebastian Rodriguez | Mon, 2 Mar 2020
Water is an under-used weapon in climate change fight, UN says
With water use rising by 1% a year, cutting down could help curb climate-heating emissions, says World Water Day report By Megan Rowling | Sun, 22 Mar 2020
Dry man of Europe, Poland strives to save water
Poland - hit by back-to-back droughts - is on a mission to save water and end its reputation as dry man of Europe By Thin Lei Win | Thu, 12 Dec 2019
Salty water in Bangkok new 'reality' as sea pushes farther inland
Bangkok's water authority says tap water is becoming saline as seawater pushes up the depleted Chao Phraya river, a growing risk faced by many of Asia's coastal cities By Rina Chandran | Fri, 10 Jan 2020
No water or work: Indian delta-dwellers pushed to the edge
As destructive storms hit the Sundarbans more often and rising sea levels shrink islands, villagers say their problems are multiplying fast By Subrata Nagchoudhury | Tue, 9 Jun 2020
Smart solar pumps use big data to stop Africa being sucked dry
The pumps' sensors record real-time data such as energy usage and pump speed in each location, which is then used to calculate groundwater extraction rates and levels By Nita Bhalla | Tue, 17 Dec 2019
in-depth Water politics heat up under worsening climate in Afghanistan
Measures to help Afghanistan's farmers access more water for irrigation could heighten tensions with the nation's neighbours. By Stefanie Glinski | Tue, 9 Jun 2020
Zimbabwe's parched Bulawayo rations to save dwindling water
Neighbourhoods are seeing water blackouts of four days as the city tries to keep scarce supplies moving to businesses and industry By Lungelo Ndhlovu | Thu, 2 Jan 2020
As Cape Town races to save water, 'Day Zero' draws closer
In the worst-case scenario, extreme droughts could be about 100 times more likely than they were early last century By Kim Harrisberg | Mon, 9 Nov 2020
In a thirsty world, information gaps dog a push to tap groundwater
Using more underground water could ease water shortages - but coordination of an "invisible" resource remains a challenge By Laurie Goering | Mon, 19 Oct 2020
In parched southern Africa, coronavirus spurs action on water
As governments race to drill boreholes and fill up water tankers, residents want solutions that will last long after the pandemic By Kim Harrisberg and Lungelo Ndlovu | Wed, 6 May 2020
Drought-hit Argentina faces water woes amid coronavirus pandemic
The worst drought in 50 years in northeast Argentina is hitting hydropower and tourism and threatening drinking water By Marcela Valente | Wed, 29 Apr 2020
Virus-idled Indian workers offered jobs boosting water security
Thousands of jobseekers have been recruited into a trench-building scheme aiming to boost scarce water supplies by catching rainfall By Shuriah Niazi | Fri, 4 Sep 2020
Shrinking water supplies threaten to put Iraq 'on the edge'
Its economy slammed by coronavirus and falling oil prices, conflict-hit Iraq is struggling to deal with growing water shortages By Laurie Goering | Wed, 8 Jul 2020
Water conflicts set to rise amid demand growth and climate impacts
About a quarter of the world's population faces severe water shortages exacerbated by climate change - and with that is coming conflict, social unrest and migration By Anastasia Moloney | Wed, 2 Sep 2020
As supplies run low, Mexico City seeks durable fix for water woes
A lack of rain to fill reservoirs this year has compounded a leaky water network and over-use of groundwater, forcing authorities to look for solutions to urban water shortages By Christine Murray | Mon, 28 Dec 2020
Remote island off East Timor turns sunlight, air into water
Innovative scheme uses solar power to suck water out of the air to provide a small community with a renewable supply of drinking water By Michael Taylor | Fri, 13 Dec 2019
Zero-carbon water pumps turn Pakistan's barren mountains green
Running only on fast-moving water, the pumps are cheap and easy to maintain, enabling farmers to grow fruit and vegetables By Syed Muhammad Abubakar | Sun, 29 Mar 2020
With water scarce, Pakistan helps farmers grow more with less
Government-subsidised drip irrigation systems are helping farmers in dry areas get a crop despite erratic rainfall linked to climate change By Imran Mukhtar | Wed, 30 Sep 2020
Pakistan pins big hopes on small dams to help farmers beat drought
A project, led by Sindh's provincial government, is helping farmers in drought-hit areas harvest rainwater using small dams, enabling them to earn more from their land By Imran Mukhtar | Mon, 25 Jan 2021
With water scarcer, Egypt pushes farmers to use much less
With Nile water insufficient and now in question, the government is mandating a switch to water-saving drip and sprinkler irrigation By Menna A. Farouk | Thu, 24 Sep 2020
Kenya's water harvest push has a new payoff: battling coronavirus
Improved water storage to cope with climate change and drought is helping Kenyans wash their hands - but will it last? By Kagondu Njagi | Thu, 2 Apr 2020
Climate threats now dominate long-term risks, survey finds
Long-term risks from climate change now outweigh those from cyberattacks, pandemics, geopolitical conflict and weapons of mass destruction, decision-makers say By Laurie Goering | Wed, 15 Jan 2020
New app predicts water-related conflict up to year in advance
The tool will enable governments and others, including development and disaster response experts, to intervene early to defuse conflicts, according to the developers By Emma Batha | Thu, 5 Dec 2019

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