Billions of people may suffer severe water shortages

[Peace_2_Everyone]

as glaciers melt

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031127/sc_afp/climate_un_environment_031127120629

Clips>
"Increasing global temperatures in the coming century will cause continued widespread melting of glaciers, which contain 70 percent of the world's fresh water reserves," it warned in a new study.
The Switzerland-based conservation group released its study on climate change and global glacier decline in Milan where more than 180 countries are due to gather from December 1-12 for the UN Climate Change Convention

Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, where major cities rely on glaciers as their main source of water during dry seasons, would be worst affected, it predicted.
In the Himalayas, there was a grave danger of flooding, the group said, noting that glacier-fed rivers in the region supply water to one third of the world's population.



On a closer to home note. Blue Springs in NW Arkansas is believed to be glacier fed. The story goes, a few days after the 60’s great Alaskan earthquake the water turned very murky.

[opihimoimoi]

1. Its so far off into the future that no one cares

The feeling in the White House and most other places is:: LET THE KIDS DEAL WITH IT. SO WHAT IF THEY HAVE TO BATH ONCE A YEAR.
\
Water, food, top soil, clean air, fertilizers, etc etc are becoming harder to come by and more expensive too. Safeway steaks are up to $12 lb. Damn.

Come, we go fill up bottles

[Don_G]

2. Just Another Chance To Make A Fast Buck

Relaxing the EPA standards to allow pollution of the water supply will "allow" private companies to come in, purify water and sell it at an indecent profit.

That is Chimpy's agenda.

[cliss]

3. I read an article about "future forecasting"

about 1 year ago. It was an interesting article about what issues will become important in the next decade. Water rights and declining water supplies was one of the "top ten".

Water is one of those things that we take for granted. Especially in western Oregon, where we wish we had less, not more water. However, if you look at Mt. Hood in the summer, every year you will see more and more granite on that mountain. The snow is gradually receding, and maybe one day we will look at a mountain without any snow at all.

As usual, people including the policy makers have been warned. Long ago. Lots of times. Do not expect them to do anything until it reaches crisis levels, with thousands of deaths, maybe even millions in countries like India or Africa which is more vulnerable.

Expect them to not lift a finger until it hits home, right here in the USA. They're too busy counting their money right now.

Also, the people in Washington are not proactive. They will not act until they are forced to. That's called being reactive. A huge difference.

[0007]

4. The glacier that crowns Mount Kilimanjaro will be gone in twenty years.

The Africa nation of Tanzania and others will be strained when this source of water is gone.

[Zhade]

5. Global warming kick

kick

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. no water shortages in Scotland, but ...

... here's another exapmle of climate change:

The directors of the company that owns the Glencoe ski resort have confirmed that they are mothballing all operations on the White Corries for the coming winter season...

Glencoe opened in 1956 and was the first commercial Scottish ski centre...

Recent winter seasons have seen all of Scotland's five ski areas struggle with lack of snow.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/scotland/3243142.stm

[loudnclear]

7. And you had better know that this is what the "security fence" in Gaza is

all about. It is carefully designed to encompass the water that the Palestinians sit on...that is what is left of it. This is the dirty little secret behind the Israeli occupation and why no matter what, they will not give up certain settlements. It's the crystal oil of the ME: WATER! Mark my words.

[opihimoimoi]

8. Its DUNE Redux: He who controls the SPICE(water) controls the Land