Freshwater use

Part of the series ‘Planetary Boundaries’ 

Arguably the most important element on our planet: Freshwater. 2.5% of all water on Earth is fresh and it is becoming more and more scarce; by 2050, it’s likely that half a billion people will experience water stress. But this experience might differ a lot per region. Where an average Dutch person uses around 4,000 liters per day, a citizen from Congo is working with 140 liters per day. The harsh reality is that those who use the least, will suffer the most. 

 

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Learning activity

Freshwater use

  • Get insights in the freshwater flows of our planet 
  • Find out how you can reduce your water footprint 
  • Learn about the impact of land use on freshwater flows  

Human pressure is now the main factor influencing how well global freshwater systems work and are distributed. The effects of human modification of water bodies include shifts in river flows and changes in vapor flows brought on by changes in land use. This modification might which will increase the need for water system intervention 

Breaking Boundaries

During the academic year 2022-2023, the New Energy Academy will elaborate on the nine planetary boundaries. Inspired by the documentary ‘Breaking Boundaries’ from Sir David Attenborough and Johan Rockström, the New Energy Academy brings you more insights about sustainability and shows you what is needed to become a sustainable and nature-inclusive society. You can find the documentary on Netflix.

Image: J. Lokrantz/Azote based on Steffen et al. 2015.

  • Tue 21 February
  • 15:00 - 16:00 (CET)
  • Online
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Lan Wang Erlandsson

Planetary Boundaries Research Lab of Stockholm Resilience Centre - Stockholm University