ABSTRACT
Water is a critical but unevenly distributed resource. There are regions where large human populations are associated with water scarcity and where climate change will affect summer water supplies from mountain snowpacks. Many countries are reliant on water supplied from other countries upstream, enhancing the potential for conflict. Population growth and development are driving a 2 per cent increase in water use per year for agriculture and industry. Global trade means that products consumed in one country may affect water use in another quite distant region and it is therefore critical to understand such interconnectedness to support future global water resource planning.
