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The Latin American country is ranked 18th on the list of states that are on the verge of falling into extreme water stress.
A study published by the University of Chile Thursday revealed that the country would drop up to 50 percent in water availability within ten years because of declining river flows and rising temperatures.
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The university analyzed 174 watersheds for over five years. Among the conclusions, the center noted that rainfall could decrease by up to 25 percent in the center and 40 percent in the south of the country.
"Chile is ranked 18th on the list of states that are on the verge of falling into extreme water stress," Greenpeace organization warned after the results of the academic research were released.
Currently, 98 percent of water is used in the agricultural, forestry, and mining industries. The two percent remaining is consumed by the population.
Todo el río de cabildo seco.. Pero las paltas en todo su apogeo. Cabilfrut desde 1989 robando el agua de Chile pic.twitter.com/CROAiF6WQH
— Eduazulejo (@azzulejoo) January 14, 2021
"State policy is going in the opposite direction to Chile's and the world's climatic and hydrological reality. Meanwhile, rainfall and water availability are decreasing," Greenpeace coordinator Estefania Gonzalez said.
Water "is bought as property titles, so transnational companies own entire rivers," Gonzalez explained in reporting that water rights granted to private companies increased from 2016 to 2020.
Greenpeace urged those who will draft the new Constitution to put an end to the current management model. "President Sebastian Piñera's government prioritizes that water is in the hands of a few," the expert assured.
Protests in Chile began in October 2019 and they haven't ceased despite the fact that the international media coverage dried up many months ago. They want Piñera out. pic.twitter.com/RLVZsbTTbo
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) November 28, 2020
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