Many anthropogenic factors are contributing to the salinization of freshwater, including agricultural irrigation, petroleum extraction and road de-icing. Canada has the majority of the world's freshwater resources, mainly concentrated in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec), where nearly 5 million tons of road salt are spread each year to de-ice roads.
Climate change and the increase in the frequency and duration of droughts around the world only exacerbate the problem. Indeed, this increasingly extreme salinization of fresh water will become a critical factor for humanity over the next 50 years.
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