| Author (Person) | Carstens, Karen |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.9, No.34, 16.10.03, p12 |
| Publication Date | 16/10/2003 |
| Content Type | News |
|
By Karen Carstens Date: 16/10/03 THE World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has warned that the EU must make better use of its limited water resources. In a new report, the WWF states that agriculture uses up to 70% of global water resources, a figure which rises to 90% for some developing countries. But only 20-50% of the water withdrawn actually reaches the crops, as most of it is lost during transfer to the fields. According to the report, released to coincide with World Food Day (16 October), big food producers such as the US, China, India, Pakistan, Australia and Spain have reached, or are close to reaching, their renewable water resource limits. Water tables are dropping by as much as ten metres annually in the worst cases, leading to a less reliable supply of water for drinking and sanitation. "After another summer of extreme droughts in the Mediterranean, it is no longer acceptable for agriculture to continue guzzling up to 87% of the EU's fresh water," said Elizabeth Guttenstein, head of the European agriculture programme at WWF's Brussels office. "We have an opportunity to prevent this from continuing by reforming the subsidies for three of the most intensively irrigated Mediterranean crops." These are cotton, tobacco and olive oil, and reforms are scheduled to take place this winter. The main causes of water shortages are inappropriate irrigation systems and the growth of crops unsuited to the environment, which is often driven by misdirected subsidies, a lack of public and political awareness and lax environmental laws, the report claims. A report, 'Agricultural water use and river basin conservation', published by WWF (formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund) on 15 October 2003, warns that the world's farming industry must manage water more efficiently to avoid a water crisis and to meet the world's growing demand for food. |
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| Subject Categories | Environment |
