Yet the global message is also clear: the world's growing population (now at 7.3 billion, but likely to reach eight billion by 2024 and nine billion by around 2040), human-induced climate change, and the overuse of freshwater for irrigation and urban needs (especially when cities are built up in dry regions) are all fueling the potential for catastrophe.
但全球形势也是显而易见的：不断增长的世界人口（目前为73亿，但2024年可能达到八十亿，2040年达到九十亿）、人为导致的气候变化以及出于城市需要将过多淡水用于灌溉（特别是建立在干旱地区的城市）都在增加爆发灾难的可能性。