Water Scarcity and Sustainability in an Emerging Economy: A Management Perspective for Future

Abstract

Water scarcity is rising as a global issue, because the planet earth is facing a global water crisis, which is considered something that can destroy environmental sustainability of our planet. The fact is that humanity’s demand is depleting natural resources faster than nature can replenish itself; if human habits and unsustainable use of water resources do not change, water scarcity will inevitably intensify and become a major cause of conflict among different nations of the world. The water scarcity issue is a crucial issue but unfortunately it has not received due attention in past. Pakistan, which once was a water abundant country, now facing a situation of water scarcity. Pakistan has a poor irrigation system which results 60% loss of its water; Pakistan uses more water for crop production than other countries. Likewise, the country harvests water from rainfall, rivers, snow, and glaciers. The country is facing a serious water crisis that is caused by different factors, such as changing climatic conditions, rising population, poor irrigation system, poor political will, and rapid urbanization. The water crisis of Pakistan is expected to worsen in coming years. This is a drastic situation which calls for emergency measures. With this background, the present study provides a detailed view of the water situation in the country with challenges to water management. The study also suggests some recommendations for policymakers to improve the water crisis situation in the future.

The Socio-Economic Impact of Using Photovoltaic (PV) Energy for High-Efficiency Irrigation Systems: A Case Study

“…In Pakistan, water shortage is a huge challenge. At the same time, the inefficiency of the irrigation system leads to the wastage of water resources, which ultimately leads to a decline in crop water productivity [13,14].…”

Structured pattern hollow fiber membrane designed via reverse thermally induced phase separation method for ultrafiltration applications

“…In the 21st century, water scarcity has become a critical issue in terms of quantity and quality 1 ; the situation is more severe because of increasing water demands and frequency of extreme weather events 2,3 . Accordingly, the strategy for water security involves reducing the dependence on existing sources of water while increasing water reusability for different purposes 4 .…”

Development and Application of Water and Land Resources Degradation Index (WLDI)

“…Integrated water resources management contributes to the appropriate use of surface and groundwater, with the goal of meeting the requirements of urban, agricultural, and industrial needs [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Water is in abundance in some regions of the world, while in others (especially in developing countries) water resources may be sometimes scarce due to low rainfall, overpopulation, and lack of water specific infrastructure.…”