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  1. Home
  2. Essential Climate Variables
  3. Anthropogenic Water Use

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Data Sources

ECV Products and Requirements


Anthropogenic Water Use

Data on water extractions by sector and available renewable freshwater provide key information on the availability of freshwater and the amount of water stress in a country. Climate Change is projected to reduce renewable surface-water and groundwater resources significantly in most dry subtropical regions. In contrast, water resources are projected to increase at high latitudes. Climate change is also projected to reduce raw water quality, posing risks to drinking water quality, even with conventional treatment. The availability of freshwater plays a crucial role in food production and food security.
  Domain: Terrestrial
  Subdomain: Human Use of Natural Resources
  Scientific Area: Hydrosphere
  ECV Steward: Nigel Tapper
  Products:  Volume of Water Use

 


Global Water Use

Figure: Estimated and projected trends of total global blue water withdrawal (right y-coordinate), sectoral blue water consumption (households, industry, livestock and irrigation) and total groundwater abstraction (left y-coordinate) over the period 1960–2099 (km3 yr−1). (Wada and Bierkens, 2014)


 

 

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