Geography 2050 (2021) Spotlight Session: Water Scarcity, Climate Change, and National Security

Water scarcity is a major national security issue caused by limited potable water resources. The impacts of water scarcity include heat, heavy precipitation, flooding, drought, sea level rise, arctic ice melt, tropical cyclones, coral reefs, and biodiversity. Geowent, a tool for understanding human activity on Earth, can be used to study the consequences of inequality and inform potential solutions. Water scarcity is defined by both supply and demand, and it can result from a lack of water availability or access. Around 785 million people lack access to safe water, and nearly 3 billion people experience water scarcity at least one month per year. Drought is a significant contributor to water scarcity, causing economic losses and impacting agriculture. The interconnectedness of water scarcity, population growth, urbanization, and climate change leads to inequalities and societal tensions. Geospatial data can help analyze the impacts of disasters and inform policymaker responses to humanitarian crises and food security issues. NGA’s role in fighting climate change involves monitoring Earth systems and populations, providing intelligence and foundational data, and developing advanced models. Partnerships are critical to the climate change mission, enabling collaboration with international academic and scientific partners to leverage their expertise and regional perspectives.