Welcome to Locally Sourced, a biweekly Covering Climate Now newsletter for journalists working to localize the climate story. Share this newsletter with colleagues and journalism students interested in localizing the climate story.
Story Spark: Water Scarcity
Despite water covering over 70% of Earth, less than 1% of it is drinkable — with climate change dangerously threatening this limited supply of freshwater. More frequent droughts, warming temperatures creating a “thirstier atmosphere,” erratic precipitation patterns, and saltwater contamination of drinking water driven by sea-level rise have worsened water scarcity across the world.
Scientists estimate nearly two-thirds of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity at least one month of the year and they anticipate these numbers to increase dramatically in the next decade. According to a recent study, the demand for freshwater will outpace the global supply by 40% by 2030 as water systems are put under “unprecedented stress.” Mismanagement of resources and the overuse of water, particularly in agriculture which uses over two-thirds of the world’s freshwater, will only worsen the crisis.
Climate change has long been recognized as a “threat multiplier,” and water scarcity is yet more proof. In 2013, 27 conflicts around the world were triggered by access to water, rising to 71 in 2017. Experts anticipate water scarcity will continue to fuel tensions and potentially be a catalyst for future conflicts, particularly in countries, such as India and Pakistan, which share water from a source that is dwindling due to climate change.
Solutions to alleviate water scarcity extend far beyond “use less water.” Journalists can explore how updating aging or insufficient water infrastructure, sustainable agricultural techniques, policy changes, and cooperation among different countries and regions can curb future water crises from spiraling out of control.
Stories We Like
- As fresh water effectively “runs out” for many communities in the Western US, one city explores an unconventional solution to its water scarcity: sewage. NPR reports.
- Knowable Magazine examines the feasibility and downsides of desalination — cleaning up salty groundwater for use in water-intensive agriculture.
- Despite being one of the rainiest states, Florida faces a dwindling freshwater supply. Grist examines how climate change, a development boom, and overexploitation is draining the Sunshine State.
- It’s not just drought — wildfires, floods, and other extreme events fueled by climate change puts the safety of drinking water at risk. Yale Environment 360 reports how water infrastructure around the world must cope with the growing risks of contamination.
- Nevada Current reports on the water crisis unfolding along the US-Mexico border and highlights the cross-border politics worsening the issue.
- In drought-stricken South Africa, short-term emergency solutions to stop nearly half a million people from completely losing access to water carry potential long-term risks to its aquifers. Mongabay reports.
Helpful Links
Resources
- Dive into the latest US Drought Monitor to understand the current drought intensity of your area. This resource is also available in Spanish.
- Climate Central has graphics and animations highlighting how rainfall and snowfall have shifted nationally over the past 30 years.
- Explore the latest IPCC report’s chapter on water scarcity to better understand the current and projected climate-induced changes to our global water cycle.
- Explore climate attribution studies explaining climate’s role in extreme droughts from World Weather Attribution.
- Understand how soil moisture, drought frequency, and more will change in a climate-changed future through maps on NOAA’s website.
Experts
- Rosario Sanchez, senior research scientist, Texas Water Resources Institute
- Peter Gleick, senior fellow, Pacific Institute
- Robert Mace, executive director, Meadows Center for Water & the Environment
- The California Institute for Water Resources and Stanford University also have a long list of recommended experts
Before We Go…
Want to engage and grow your audience over social media? Apply to join CCNow’s Climate Social Lab, a new, free series of workshops designed to help journalists explore how to effectively report and produce social-first journalism about climate change.
The Climate Station is a free-of-cost training program from CCNow that equips local TV station newsrooms in the US, including journalists, producers, and meteorologists, to cover climate news more effectively. For inquiries, please email Elena González at elena[at]coveringclimatenow[dot]org. Or apply here.
Want more story ideas? Check out the Locally Sourced archive for more topics to explore, including resilient agriculture, emergency alerts, climate anxiety, and more.
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