UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (Xinhua) — Some 600 million children, or one in four worldwide, will be living in areas with extremely limited water resources by 2040, showed a UNICEF report released Wednesday, which marks World Water Day.
The report, Thirsting for a Future: Water and Children in a Changing Climate, looks at the threats to children’s lives and wellbeing caused by depleted sources of safe water and the ways climate change will intensify these risks in coming years.
Thirty-six countries are currently facing extremely high levels of water stress, which occurs when demand for water far exceeds the renewable supply available, according to the report.
Population growth, increased water consumption, and higher demand for water largely due to industrialization and urbanization are draining water resources worldwide, while conflicts in many parts of the world also threaten children’s access to safe water, said the report.
