Long-term projections of water supply and demand

Abstract

Long-term projections of water demand and supply aim to depict the future of a complex, coupled human-natural system. While, initially, the focus has been on better understanding future availability of water resources and the global water cycle, in the last few decades, attention has shifted toward projections of future water demands. Areas with growing attention in this field include, on the water supply side, the modeling of climate-water interactions--including a better representation of climate extreme events--, of groundwater systems and of water quality. On the demand side, emerging areas include ecosystem demands, groundwater uses, and new water pollutants. Future research should also focus on projecting implications for equity and social inclusion from alternative water futures.