ASIA:Many of the world's biggest rivers are facing collapse due to man-made problems, according to a leading conservation group.
"We're talking about a complete collapse of the system," said Tom Le Quesne, freshwater policy officer at WWF-UK, a conservation charity which published a report yesterday on the threats to the world's rivers.
The report highlights problems facing Asia, where five of the 10 rivers listed in the report are found - the Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Ganges and Indus.
Ravi Singh, secretary-general of WWF-India, at a briefing in Delhi yesterday, said: "If these rivers die, millions will lose their livelihoods, biodiversity will be destroyed on a massive scale, there will be less fresh water and agriculture, resulting in less food security."
Rivers are the world's main source of fresh water and almost half of the world's supply is currently being tapped.
Dams cut off rivers from flood plains, which dry up and destroy habitats. The WWF said that fish populations were being affected in areas where fish provided the main source of protein.
The Danube, which contains more than half of Europe's fish species, has lost more than half its wetlands and flood plains.