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Central Asia: Facing a Compound Crisis of Water, Energy, and Food
September 12th, 2008
From The Brookings Institution, more analysis on the chronic water and energy shortages in parts of Central Asia that – when combined with the area-specific drought conditions and hence threats to agricultural production in rain-fed parts of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan (and possibly in the areas of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan irrigated with waters from the Syr […]
Read more »Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Hydropower, and Central Asia’s Water
September 3rd, 2008
As we have discussed previously and as recently noted by WaterWired, there are a number of difficult issues faced by the countries in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya basins, the two major streams in the region. As the article notes: “…the aforementioned streams both terminate in the Aral Sea, and the diversion of these […]
Read more »Water Power: Tajik Style
September 1st, 2008
From The New York Times, a very interesting analysis of how Tajikistan – the source of more than 40 percent of Central Asia’s water – hopes to utilize its abundant water resources to drive the country’s growth. However, as the article points out, water issues must also be resolved as Central Asia’s disagreements over how […]
Read more »The Mekong: A Flood of Worry About The Impact of China’s Dams
August 31st, 2008
Via Japan Focus, a detailed look at the impact that major floods of the Mekong have had upon Southeast Asia, not only in an environmental/economic sense, but also from a political perspective. Many countries are asking whether China is responsible for the heavy flood damage, as its cascade of dams on the Mekong have been […]
Read more »Australia: On The Frontier Of A Global Rush To Commercialize Water.
August 31st, 2008
Via The International Herald Tribune, an interesting article examining Australia pioneering efforts of what is likely soon to become a global wave to commercialize water. If/as this comes to pass, we believe there will inevitably be greater conflicts over water and water rights. As the article notes: “…Despite a long-running drought, Kingwill, who runs the […]
Read more »Time For Northwest To Cash In Its Water?
August 30th, 2008
As recently discussed in The Oregonian, parched Southwest U.S. states recently considered ways they might bring more water to the overtaxed Colorado River, and they imagined snaking a fiberglass straw up the Pacific coast and sipping from the Columbia River. And, as the article notes: “…That’s probably a pipe dream, but it’s also a recurring […]
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