Mismanagement threatens Asian water crises: ADB study

The mismanagement of resources, not scarcity, will lead to water crises in developing Asian nations, said a study commissioned by the Asian Development Bank and released on Thursday.

One issue was the use of water in Asia’s energy sector, the study said, since electricity generation typically needs it.
Asian electricity consumption is rising between five percent and eight percent annually, so there is a need to include the water needs of the energy sector in national policies, it added.

The study said “not one Asian developing country has seriously assessed the current and future water requirements of its energy sector.”

The rising popularity of biofuels as an alternative energy source also had implications for water resources, the report said.

“Asian biofuel production will require more and more water if this subsector expands as expected,” it said.

More use of pesticides and fertilizers to improve biofuel crop yields could lead to the pollution of surrounding water, the report added.

AFP