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Water May Help Exacerbate Violent Conflict, But Not Be Initial Cause
December 11th, 2019
Via Future Directions International, commentary on how conflict related to water is more a response to government inability to provide basic services for society, than about water itself: A new tool, launched by the Water, Peace and Security (WPS) Partnership, has identified a number of locations where there is a high risk of water-related conflict. The tool […]
Read more »Water Could Limit Our Ability to Feed the World
November 26th, 2019
Via World Resources Institute, a report on how water scarcity may limit our ability to feed the world: To feed the world, we need to pay more attention to water. To nourish a growing global population, we’ll need to produce 56% more calories by 2050, while dealing with increasing climate-driven water risks like droughts and competition over […]
Read more »Water Wars?
November 20th, 2019
Courtesy of The Economist, a graphical look at the incidence of water conflict over the years: THE FORECAST that future wars will be fought over water has been made long enough for it to become both a platitude and subject to doubt. Demand for water has surged because populations have grown and rising prosperity has enabled […]
Read more »The Growing Threat of Water Wars
November 14th, 2019
Via Project Syndicate, commentary on the growing tensions around water supply and scarcity worldwide: The dangers of environmental pollution receive a lot of attention nowadays, particularly in the developing world, and with good reason. Air quality indices are dismal and worsening in many places, with India, in particular, facing an acute public-health emergency. But as serious as […]
Read more »Blue Peace Index
October 19th, 2019
Via China Water Risk, a look at The Economist Intelligence Unit’s new Blue Peace Index (BPI) and how it promotes transboundary water cooperation: Freshwater resources are dwindling fast ; by 2050, >50% of the world’s population will live in water scarce regions, plus 45% GDP, 52% population & 40% of grain production of the world […]
Read more »Global River Flows Declining
October 3rd, 2019
Via Bloomberg, a report on how groundwater pumping in some of the world’s critical watersheds is exceeding safe levels and causing surface waters to fall at an alarming rate: Another slow-motion, man-made environmental disaster has been discovered, and it’s underneath your feet. About 70% of the water pumped out of underground aquifers worldwide is used […]
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