Impact of climate change on river ganges
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The Ganges already sustains nearly half a billion people and according to the International Water Resource Management Institute (IWRMI), the demand for fresh drinking water will only increase. It projects the demand will rise by roughly one third in the coming 15 years, meaning that Indians rely on the river more than ever.
However, a 2009 study surveying 925 rivers worldwide from 1948-2004 found that climate change posed a serious threat to much of the world’s running water sources. Due to its geographical location, the Ganges was particularly at risk, along with Africa’s Niger River and the Chinese Yellow River.
Climate change can also affect the Ganges in another, more direct way. Water pollution in Asia has long been a subject of concern, and the Ganges is one of the harder hit bodies of water from the effects of the industrial boom in the continent. Indeed, one report from the World Bank estimates that 20% of the contaminants in the river come from industrial emissions, and roughly one billion gallons of untreated sewage enter its waterways on a daily basis. Clearly, the situation is a concerning one.
However, a 2009 study surveying 925 rivers worldwide from 1948-2004 found that climate change posed a serious threat to much of the world’s running water sources. Due to its geographical location, the Ganges was particularly at risk, along with Africa’s Niger River and the Chinese Yellow River.
Climate change can also affect the Ganges in another, more direct way. Water pollution in Asia has long been a subject of concern, and the Ganges is one of the harder hit bodies of water from the effects of the industrial boom in the continent. Indeed, one report from the World Bank estimates that 20% of the contaminants in the river come from industrial emissions, and roughly one billion gallons of untreated sewage enter its waterways on a daily basis. Clearly, the situation is a concerning one.
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