Source – Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity – Nature, September 2010 – reproduced on BBC website

• Many parts of the world already suffer from a severe lack of water impacting on all forms of human development
• Population growth and economic development are increasing the demand for fresh water
• Climate change tends to reduce availability of potable water – either through increased likelihood of flooding (too much water) or increase likelihood of drought
• A global water crisis is developing that particularly impacts on countries with largest populations