<h5>What’s a water ban?</h5>  <p>Water is one of the most (if not the most!) important resources for human beings. It is required for our survival. Can you imagine a world without water? Luckily, we haven’t faced such a situation yet. But there are places in the world where water is quite scarce.</p>
<p>France is currently facing its worst drought. The main reason for the drought is that there was very little rainfall in July. The drought has affected the country so much that the government has restricted the use of water in 93 regions. This is known as the water ban.</p>
<p>People all over the country are worried that the drought will affect crop production of the country. Lesser crops will result in lesser produce. Since demand for food will be high and supply will be low, prices of produce may increase!  </p> <h5>What's the French government doing about it?</h5>  <p>The French government is trying to control the situation to the best of its ability. They have set up a crisis team to manage water delivery to the worst affected areas. The government has made some laws to conserve water - one such law is that irrigation has been forbidden in much of France's northwestern and southern regions.</p>
<p>The French government has also asked its citizens to not use water for non-essential activities such as watering gardens, car-washing, etc. Existing water will be prioritised for security, health and drinking purposes. Trucks are being used to provide water where it has run out.
Climate activists are, however, protesting against the water usage rules of the government.
</p> <h5>What are climate activists complaining about?</h5> <figure>
        <img src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/people-fill-golf-holes-with-cement-after-water-ban-exemption%2Fpeople-fill-golf-holes-with-cement-after-water-ban-exemption-section1.png?alt=media&token=12cde997-dc1c-4770-8162-8a5d3e35b312" alt="What are climate activists complaining about?" >
        <figcaption>A climate activist filling up a hole on a golf course with cement. Photo by The Telegraph.</figcaption>
      </figure> <p>The French government has banned many important activities like irrigation, watering gardens, etc. But there are some activities that have been excluded from the ban. One such activity is watering golf courses.</p>
<p>Climate activists in France have vandalised golf courses and filled golf holes with cement. They targeted a club called Vieille-Toulouse and the Garonne des Sept Deniers golf course. According to them, water should not be wasted on golf courses during a water crisis. </p>
<p>Many people are also of the opinion that golf courses were exempt from the ban because the country’s richest people like to play golf. Golf course owners have argued that the grass on their golf courses will dry out if not watered properly. 
</p> <h5>What's the situation of water all over the world?</h5>  <p>About 70% of our planet is covered by water so we think that we have a lot of it available for use. But, freshwater (water that is used for drinking, bathing, etc.) is not much. Around 1.1 billion people do not have proper access to water and 2.7 billion people experience water scarcity worldwide for at least one month a year. </p>
<p>Climate change has also increased the scarcity of water and the severity of droughts in some parts of the world. Reports say that two-thirds of the world's population might experience water shortages by 2025.
Some organisations are working to conserve water. We must support them and try to conserve as much water as we can. Do your bit to save water - close the tap when not in use, recycle water, etc. Can you think of more ways to save water?
</p>

France is facing a drought. Climate activists are protesting against some rules made by the government to control the situation. Let's find out why.

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