Letter.

Letter Published in The National UAE on24 Mar 23 I write to you in reference to Adla Massoud's report World faces worsening water crisis, UN says (March 22): this was an informative article that was also alarming, primarily regarding the timeline mentioned, which only emphasises the need to act now. Most people in the developing world know too well what water scarcity looks like and it has become endemic due to overconsumption and pollution. The article clearly states the factors that are worsening the crisis. It is mainly climate change and population growth that need to be looked in to. Another important aspect is water intensive agricultural practices across the world that need reform. I found it interesting that this conference was the first event since 1977 aimed at addressing the global water crisis. With climate change such a hot topic of discussion today, the international community must come together and co-operate on solutions that apply to not just one part of the world. Over all, a shortage of water cannot be sustained for a long period of time. Policymakers and laypeople know this well. Let's hope the numbers improve, otherwise we may well have a dire situation on our hands. As the report says, by 2050, 2.4 billion people will be affected by water scarcity, with India being the most affected. K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India