Scorched earth: the impact of drought on 10 world cities
A report into the impact of climate change on cities, which is becoming increasingly important as more and more people live in them. One of the most severe impacts, which is already starting to bite, is cities running out of water. Urban areas make up just 1% of the earth’s surface yet more than 55% of the world’s population live in them and by 2050 nearly 68% of the world will call them home. This will be partially driven by climate change as people are forced to move because their locations become unliveable or they lose their livelihoods, especially in rural areas. The impact of climate change on cities is becoming increasingly important as more and more people live in them. Without action to cut global greenhouse gas emissions, growing city populations will put ever greater stress on water resources in the coming years meaning some of the world’s major cities could face the prospect of running out of water.
