Kumar et al. (2026) Groundwater depletion in a changing climate: global insights and strategic mitigation approaches

Identification

• Journal: Elsevier eBooks
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: Sandeep Kumar, Pallvi Verma, Priyanka Kumawat, Sunny Sharma, Rupesh Kumar
• DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-443-36394-8.00019-4

Research Groups

• Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
• Department of Horticulture, Guru Kashi University, Bathinda, Punjab, India
• Department of Horticulture, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agriculture University, Bikaner Rajasthan, India
• Jindal Global Business School (JGBS), O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India

Short Summary

This chapter explores the global issue of water shortage, distinguishing between physical and economic scarcity, and discusses its drivers including climate change, population growth, and ineffective water management, emphasizing the need for strategic mitigation.

Objective

• To analyze the global challenge of water shortage, differentiate between physical and economic scarcity, identify its drivers (climate change, population growth, poor management), and underscore its profound impacts on society and the environment to inform strategic mitigation approaches.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global
• Temporal Scale: Historical to contemporary

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not applicable (conceptual chapter/literature review)
• Data sources: Literature review and synthesis of existing scientific publications and reports

Main Results

• The chapter defines water shortage, distinguishing between physical scarcity (insufficient natural water sources, prevalent in arid regions) and economic scarcity (water present but inaccessible due to poor infrastructure or governance, common in parts of sub-Saharan Africa).
• It identifies climate change, population increase, and ineffective water management techniques as primary drivers of water shortage.
• The severe impacts of water shortage on environmental sustainability, economic growth, food security (e.g., agricultural yields), and human health (e.g., waterborne illnesses) are highlighted.

Contributions

• This chapter provides a comprehensive conceptual framework for understanding global water shortage, clearly differentiating between physical and economic scarcity. It synthesizes the multifaceted drivers and impacts of water scarcity, laying a foundational understanding for developing strategic mitigation approaches in a changing climate.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Kumar2026Groundwater,
  author = {Kumar, Sandeep and Verma, Pallvi and Kumawat, Priyanka and Sharma, Sunny and Kumar, Rupesh},
  title = {Groundwater depletion in a changing climate: global insights and strategic mitigation approaches},
  journal = {Elsevier eBooks},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/b978-0-443-36394-8.00019-4},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-443-36394-8.00019-4}
}