The total population of the Mediterranean region is expected to increase from 309 million in 2000 to over 651 million in 2030. If future global rainfall changes are compared to rising water demand as a consequence of population growth, the impact on water resources will be far greater than that of predicted climate change. The interaction of external factors like climate change, population growth, and land use calls for regional adaption strategies to ensure fair and sustainable water availability, and to reduce the drop of the groundwater level and therefore the mobilization of saline groundwater.
