A Note on Climate Change and Extreme Water Event

Abstract

The global water demand is increasing at a rate of 1% a year. The complex and rapid change in radiation balance of the Earth has increased the frequency of heatwaves which alters the weather pattern and causes climate change, this alters the conventional assumptions and would cause vulnerability to water access by mid century. The relative effect of climate change and anthropogenic causes are imperiling the hydrological cycle as it involves all components of water system. It also escalates water scarcity globally. The anthropogenic impacts are estimated to warm the planet by 2°C- 6°C, it has also warmed the surface of fresh water bodies by 0.2°C-2°C in the past decades. The global population is estimated to increase to 10 billion by the late century. As early as 2050 about 5 billion people will be living in water stressed areas and India would reach that before 2025.The intense climate extremes may result in low groundwater recharge rate and calls the urge for new water resources. With the abovementioned facts, the study highlights the potential risks and ambiguities associated with climate change and its effects on water bodies and increasing population. The focal point of this study is to unravel the extremities instigated by anthropogenic sources that induce climate extremities which makes people inaccessible to fresh water.