GEOG1016 Topic2 Water 2015 Handout Colour G 20150122

GEOG1016 Nature Conservation for Sustainable Societies
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GEOG1016
Nature Conservation for
Sustainable Societies
Professor C Y Jim
Department of Geography
The University of Hong Kong

GEOG1016 Nature Conservation for Sustainable Societies / Professor C Y Jim

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WATER RESOURCE AND ITS
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT
 INTRODUCTION
 GLOBAL PATTERN OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND
 SOURCES AND USES OF WATER
 HUMAN IMPACTS ON WATERS
 SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

GEOG1016 Nature Conservation for Sustainable Societies / Professor C Y Jim

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INTRODUCTION
 our water planet (contrary to “Earth”)
71% of the world’s surface covered by water
4% by ice caps total volume of water
1.4 billion km3

GEOG1016 Nature Conservation for Sustainable Societies / Professor C Y Jim

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Global water and land distribution

3%
GEOG1016 Nature Conservation for Sustainable Societies / Professor C Y Jim

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Water molecule
H 2O

GEOG1016 Nature Conservation for Sustainable Societies / Professor C Y Jim

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 predominance of salt water
97.5% (volume) of the world’s water salt water in the seas and oceans unlimited supply yet not too useful not potable
GEOG1016 Nature Conservation for Sustainable Societies / Professor C Y Jim

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 tiny volume of fresh water merely 2.5% of the world’s water