In recent years, climate change seems to have elbowed out other environmental issues to become the number one global problem. But the alarming world-wide water scarcity is an equally important issue, and an even more immediate threat.

A decade ago, it was predicted that a third of the world’s population would be facing water scarcity by 2025. But this threshold has already been reached. Two billion people live in countries that are water-stressed. And by 2025, two-thirds of the world population may suffer water stress, unless current trends alter.

The adaption to the changing climate is costly however if not promptly addressed repercussions could be devastating, said Science and Technology Minister Tissa Vitharana at the British Council, Colombo, recently.

Minister Vitharana predicted that the Colombo city would have to move inland in few decades due to rising sea level as a result of the climate change. “To bear costs of the climate change such as that could be far more expensive than to adapt or mitigate the climate change,” the Minister noted. The Minister was the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony of two events “Talking Climate,” with British Journalist Paul Rose.