Overexploitation

More than 50% of Americans – 164 million people – live in coastal counties, with 1.2 million added each year. Humans have heavily altered the coastal environment through development, changes in land use, and overexploitation of resources. Now, the changing climate is imposing additional stresses.

Despite having the fourth largest fresh water reserves in the world, officials say more than 400 Chinese cities, including the capital, face severe water shortages. Experts say the shortages are a result of droughts, overexploitation of water resources, increasing pollution, inefficient delivery methods and temperature increases.