How global warming causes water scarcity: Isnt global warming melting ice worldwide, giving us more, not less, water?
Yes, but as mentioned, water scarcity has nothing to do with total volume of water worldwide and everything to do with its distribution. As temperatures rise, upstream glaciers will melt, potentially disappearing forever as a source of water. Even if these glaciers remain, decreased annual snowmelt will cause many of the worlds rivers to diminish in size, and some will disappear completely. And melting ice caps mean rising seas will intrude into the lower reaches of many rivers.5 Floods and droughts will also become more common. Simply put, freshwater flows will become erratic, and the billions of people worldwide who bet on predictable seasonal changes in local waterways will find themselves holding an entirely new hand. The haves and have nots: Are we prepared for less dependable sources of water? Not really. After all, water usage grew at twice the rate of the worldwide population in the 20th century,6 due in large part to urbanization and increased industrial water use. In spite of
