India to face serious water shortage by 2030

Updated November 26, 2009 13:54:30

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been visiting the United States, where he signed a deal with President Obama to strengthen cooperation on climate change.

India is already the world's fourth largest greenhouse gas emitter, and that's expected to grow as its economy continues to expand. But a new report puts India at the forefront of another serious challenge - a scarcity of water. It warns that without concerted action, the subcontinent won't be able to meet half its water needs by 2030. In neighbouring China, the problem's even worse, with demand expected to outstrip supply by 25 per cent. While these problems are already well known, the report differs in having been written largely by multi-national companies, who've offered a range of solutions.

Presenter: Karon Snowdon
Speakers: Guilio Boccaletti, Associate Principal, McKinsey and Company; Usha Rao-Monari, Senior Manger, International Finance Corporation