SINGAPORE — Photographed from satellites in space, Asia and the other great continents are a spectacular sight. One of the most unique features of the panoramic view is water, in both liquid and frozen forms, which covers about 75 percent of Earth's surface.
It's the abundance of water that sets Earth apart from the rest of the planets in our solar system because water is a vital ingredient for life and human civilization. Yet recently, there have been new warnings about an imminent water crisis.
Britain's chief scientist, John Beddington, predicted that water shortages would be the world's most pressing problem in the next decade, compounded by population growth; rapid urbanization; rising demand for food, energy and other water-intensive goods and services; and climate change. The world's population of 6.6 billion is forecast to increase by 2.5 billion by 2050, with much of that growth in Asia. With the addition of another 1.5 billion people to feed, Asia's population will reach 5 billion by mid-century.