"What's happening as a result of the drought is that communities are becoming more aware about the value of water, which will intensify conflicts in the future," Bazoberry said. El Alto ’s worst drought in a quarter of a century , which led to the country declaring a state of emergency 2006 , has been exacerbated by climate change, mining, large-scale agriculture, population growth in cities and poor infrastructure, according to campaigners. Environmentalists and supporters of land rights argue the drought has revealed the damage caused by mining, which diverts and contaminates water, and soya and cane farming, which has led to deforestation and increased water use. Shortages have also been intensified by the climate-change-induced nearly 40 percent shrinkage of around 145,000 large glaciers in the country last week and 2006 .
El Alto ’s worst drought in a quarter of a century , which led to the country declaring a state of emergency 2006 , has been exacerbated by climate change, mining, large-scale agriculture, population growth in cities and poor infrastructure, according to campaigners. Environmentalists and supporters of land rights argue the drought has revealed the damage caused by mining, which diverts and contaminates water, and soya and cane farming, which has led to deforestation and increased water use. Shortages have also been intensified by the climate-change-induced nearly 40 percent shrinkage of around 145,000 large glaciers in the country last week and 2006 .