A Thirst for Meat: Changes in diet, rising population may strain China’s water supply

China’s rapid industrialization and increasing population, along with a growing dietary preference among its citizens for meat, are straining the country’s water resources to the point where food imports will probably be needed to meet demand in coming decades.

Economic growth in China is brisk: Over the past 2 decades, the country’s gross domestic product has risen, on average, about 8 percent per year.