Fresh water is an essential but fossil resource and it must be used responsively in the near future, especially in the deep blue areas in the picture below water is very scarce. There are plenty amounts of salt water available but turning them into fresh water will cost a lot of energy, most likely in the shape of fossils. This will only add to the energy problem already emerging in the world. A good example is Dubai the elaborate holiday location near Saudi Arabia. This small dessert country has now source of fresh drinking water and most of it is therefore produced from sea water. An expansion of this country with its tourism will only increase the water demand. The picture shows the change of water shortage in the coming decades.
In the future people suffering from fresh water shortage will increase if there are no big changes in our use.
