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Global Freshwater Supplies Threatened by Overuse
May 8th, 2019
Via Future Directions International, a sobering look at global freshwater supplies: As global demand for food and water grows, there is increasing pressure on the world’s freshwater supplies. Climate change is responsible for some surface water loss, as weather patterns become hotter and dryer in some regions, prolonging droughts and accelerating evaporation. Although climate change has […]
Read more »Worsening Drought and Conflict Loom in Southeast Asia
April 29th, 2019
Courtesy of Circle of Blue, a look at worsening drought in southeast Asia: More than 66 million Southeast Asians had their lives disrupted by drought in the past three decades. Dry conditions aggravated poverty and inequality, and inflamed regional conflicts. Unless governments take decisive action soon, the future could be worse, a new report warns. […]
Read more »England: Could Run Short of Water Within 25 Years
March 27th, 2019
Courtesy of The Guardian, an article on how England could run short of water within 25 years: England is set to run short of water within 25 years, the chief executive of the Environment Agency has warned. The country is facing the ‘‘jaws of death”, Sir James Bevan said, at the point where water demand from […]
Read more »Subterranean Blues: The Global Groundwater Crisis
March 4th, 2019
Courtesy of The Economist, a report on groundwater: In 2004, when Danmanti Devi was four years old, her mother took her to see a doctor because of pains in her legs. The doctor wrongly diagnosed polio. He could do no more than prescribe painkillers. Danmanti’s legs are now deformed. Many others in Churaman Nagar, her 140-household […]
Read more »Controlling The Source: Water Related Conflict On The Rise
March 4th, 2019
Via The Economist, an article on how violence of access to water is on the rise: It has become a cliché of doom-mongering: future wars will be over water. The forecast is old enough to face a sceptical backlash. Whatever happened, people ask, to the water wars? One answer emphasises the role water has played in […]
Read more »Water As A Weapon: A Historical Look
February 17th, 2019
Via The Smithsonian, an article on the history of water being used as a weapon: It was a sultry-hot Sunday in August 2014 when ISIS came to the Iraqi town of Snune. Roaring around the flanks of Sinjar Mountain in the country’s far northwest, the black-clad fighters quickly seized whatever men, women and children hadn’t been able […]
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