Researchers traced the American West water crisis to just 122 companies

The useful part

As some of the largest water reservoirs in the United States plunge to record lows, drought isn't the only factor to blame. According to a new study, just 122 fossil fuel and cement companies are responsible for roughly half of the water lost to climate change in the American West. The large effect of these companies is unsurprising, as Carbon Majors have accounted for almost 70% of industrial carbon dioxide emissions since 1985, with most of those emissions happening after the 1950s.

How it works

• In the study, published on August 25 in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, researchers examined how the 122 "Carbon Majors"—including BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell—played a role in...
• The study also found that the water drained within that decade amounts to the same capacity as Lake Mead's highest capacity, putting the loss at around 9 trillion gallons of water.
• The study looks deeper into a particularly complicated region in the country, one where its dry climate conflicts with a water-demanding agricultural industry.

Details worth keeping

Lake Mead is the country's largest reservoir.