21st Century Challenges

Revealed: the massive scale of UK’s water consumption

Each Briton uses 4,645 litres a day when hidden factors are included

Water becomes the new oil as world runs dry

Western companies have the know-how - and the financial incentive - to supply water to poor nations. But, as Richard Wachman reports, their involvement is already provoking unrest

Solution for the world’s water woes

Rising populations and growing demand is making the world a thirsty planet, says David Molden. In this week's Green Room, he says the solution lies in people reducing the size of their "water footprints".

L.A.’s water emergency

Recent rains mean nothing; the city must get serious about dealing with water shortages.

Droughts ‘may lay waste’ to parts of US

The world's pre-eminent climate scientists produced a blunt assessment of the impact of global warming on the US yesterday, warning of droughts that could reduce the American south-west to a wasteland and heatwaves that could make life impossible even in northern cities.

Hosepipe ban extended after 60 years

Hosepipe bans will be extended so households cannot fill swimming pools, wash windows or clean the patio during a dry spell as part of new legislation to deal with the increased threat of droughts and flooding.

The Aral Sea

Read about the environmental impacts of over use of water resources in the Aral Sea

Importing goods, exporting drought?

October 2009

George Alagiah chairs a discussion with Robin Farrington, WWF and Andy Wales, SAB Miller on the scale of global water consumption needed to produce what we use and consume and the dramatic impact it has around the world.

Watch the talks