75 million people risk being left without water in 100 years: what are the reasons?

Access to groundwater is vital to life on Earth, but a new study shows that rising temperatures could make it undrinkable for 75 million people within the next 76 years.

Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany modeled changes in global groundwater temperatures through 2100 using two different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, Newsweek reports.

According to their forecasts, groundwater temperatures could rise by 20 degrees Celsius under one scenario and 21.5 degrees under the other.

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This will have a significant impact on people who depend on groundwater for drinking, irrigation, and other needs. Researchers estimate that between 77 and 188 million people could be affected by 2100, depending on the emissions scenario.

Warmer groundwater could also have a negative impact on groundwater-dependent ecosystems, biogeochemical processes, geothermal energy potential, and the thermal regime of rivers.

"Our findings show how important it is to take action to protect groundwater and find long-term solutions to counteract the negative impacts of climate change on groundwater," said Dr. Susanne Benz, author of the study from KIT.

The researchers call for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. They also emphasize the importance of better understanding and monitoring groundwater to better prepare for future changes.

As a reminder, 5 regions of the planet may become uninhabitable by 2070 due to extreme heat.

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