David A. Gable in Environment News Network: Long dry spells have been a problem in various parts of the world including China, Africa, Russia, Australia, the southern and western United States, and Western Europe. Many are hoping that this is just a cyclical nuisance and not evidence of a permanent change in climate patterns. England in particular is used to being a damp and rainy island, but has been surprised now with three straight winters of drought-level precipitation. The first to notice and be affected by the changing levels of rainfall are the farmers. However, now public officials are beginning to worry about the long-term stability of their water supplies and the effects that lower rainfall will have on the environment as a whole.The European Union is taking a lead role in making water resources an important issue in the international community. Occurring next week in Marseille, France, is the World Water Forum, a meeting to discuss the status of water supplies around the world and steps that must be done to protect them. At the June UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, EU officials intend to make water conservation a major agenda item. Furthermore, the European Commission has named 2012 as the Year of Water, planning an in depth review of the continent's water legislation and policies....
Shot of a dripping faucet by Dschwen, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license
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