The 2010 hurricane season began on June 1, amid widespread concern over the potential for a large storm to exacerbate the damage from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. As the map above shows, catastrophic hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) regularly hit the southern coast of the United States. NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) predicts an 85 percent chance of an “above normal” hurricane season this year, due to conditions including exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean tropical zone.

According to WRI's report "Over Heating: Financial Risks from Water Constrains on Power Generation in Asia," the majority of existing and new power generating capacity for publicly listed companies in South and Southeast Asia are located in areas classified as water scarce and stressed.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that in parts of Asia, climate change could result in declines in agricultural (not including animal) output by between 2.5–10% by the 2020’s and by 5–30% by the 2050’s compared to 1990 levels (without CO2 fertilization effects). This figure shows longer-term estimates of the crop yield decreases in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The food and beverage sector is a significant water user, especially in its supply chain, as agriculture comprises the largest user of water in the six countries from this study--India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam (as is the case in many countries). Water usage is greatest in the growing, harvesting, and rearing phases of production. The sector’s high water dependency makes the impacts of water scarcity more pronounced.