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Asia-Pacific environment at boiling point; green growth crucial, UN report warns

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Asia-Pacific environment at boiling point; green growth crucial, UN report warns

25 Dec '06

2 min read

The long term sustainability of the water supply is further threatened by climate change, which may increase the severity and incidence of drought and cause long-term reductions in water flows in freshwater systems dependent on glacier melt.

The report stresses that more economic growth is needed and inevitable, as nearly 670 million people are living on less than $1 a day, 665 million have no access to improved drinking water but countries must meet the series of looming development challenges.

Countries in South Asia, over 40 per cent of the region's population, will face some of the toughest issues in coming decades as population growth, changing water regimes and climates, and rising demand for energy, water and other necessities all come to a head.

The report finds that, on the one hand, pollution control in production is becoming more effective and market forces are pushing firms towards greater resource efficiency as the prices of natural resources spiral upwards.

On the other hand, as incomes increase and as globalization spreads, consumption patterns become less environmentally sustainable, making more eco-efficient consumption crucial.

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