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The Thirsty Dragon: A Historical Perspective On China’s Water Challenges
June 18th, 2011
Courtesy of The China Beat, a historical look at China’s water challenges via a Q&A with environmental historian Kenneth Pomeranz: JW: Water is figuring centrally right now in a lot of reporting on China. Do you see this as due to a change in the situation or just increased awareness of the kinds of dilemmas […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: Rains Bring Relief for Six-month China Drought, But Chronic Water Problems Loom
June 12th, 2011
Courtesy of Circle of Blue, an article on how – in spite of recent rainfall – China’s dry spell is the latest in a growing trend of severe water shortages threatening China’s food production, energy generation, and accelerating modernization. As the report note: “…Heavy rainfall began in China last Friday, easing the effects of a prolonged […]
Read more »When The Nile Runs Dry…
June 2nd, 2011
Courtesy of The New York Times, an interesting commentary on the impact of global land grabs upon Nile water resources. As the article notes: “…A NEW scramble for Africa is under way. As global food prices rise and exporters reduce shipments of commodities, countries that rely on imported grain are panicking. Affluent countries like Saudi […]
Read more »Turkey’s Great Leap Forward Leads To Water Tension
June 2nd, 2011
Via The Guardian, a look at Turkey’s ambitious but controversial plans to build dams to power its future growth. As the article notes: Work was halted on a massive dam project in Hasankeyf three years ago after the ancient city was flooded. Campaigners fear the government will go ahead with the dam regardless. Every […]
Read more »The Thirsty Dragon: North China Is Drying And Dying?
June 2nd, 2011
Courtesy of The New York Times, a detailed report on concerns surrounding China’s plan to alleviate its water crisis. As the article notes: “North China is dying. A chronic drought is ravaging farmland. The Gobi Desert is inching south. The Yellow River, the so-called birthplace of Chinese civilization, is so polluted it can no longer […]
Read more »India and Pakistan: Tensions Melting Over Siachen Glacier?
June 2nd, 2011
Via Reuters, a report that India and Pakistan began their first attempt in three years to demilitarize the world’s highest battlefield in the Himalayan region that has claimed the lives of hundreds of soldiers and is a source of melt water for Pakistan’s rivers. As the article notes: “…The rivals’ defense secretaries began two days […]
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