• With rapid population growth, water withdrawals have tripled over the last 50 years.
• This trend is explained largely by the rapid increase in irrigation development stimulated by food demand in the 1970s and by the continued growth of agriculture-based economies.

  Expected trends over the next 50 years:

• There is still substantial uncertainty on the scale of future demands. Between 2000 and 2050 the world’s population is projected to grow from 6 billion to 9 billion, and demand for food and other goods will increase significantly.
• The Mediterranean Action Plan is exploring possible futures for agriculture-based economies that are most vulnerable to anticipated climate change effects.

The section “Did You Know…?” is taken from the 3rd World Water Development Report “Water in a Changing World“.

Source: http://www.unesco.org/