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Himalayan Water Supply: An Improved Outlook
August 7th, 2013
Via Ars Technica, an article on glacial melt’s impact on Asia’s water supply: Meltwater pond on Lirung Glacier. Glaciers are very sensitive to changes in climate, making them clear (even visually striking) indicators of the recent warming trend. Apart from raising sea levels and threatening to turn the name of Glacier National Park in […]
Read more »Global Water Shortages Grow Worse But Nations Have Few Answers
August 2nd, 2013
Via Scientific American, some sobering thoughts on the global water crisis: As we have been hearing, global water shortages are poised to exacerbate regional conflict and hobble economic growth. Yet the problem is growing worse, and is threatening to deal devastating blows to health, according to top water officials from the U.S. State Department and […]
Read more »Securing The Himalayas As The Water Tower Of Asia
July 26th, 2013
As reported in the July 2013 issue of Asia Policy, a look at the critical environmental importance of the Himalayas: The crucial role of mountains as the creators and providers of large volumes of freshwater and as the natural storage site of this vital ecosystem service attracted the special attention of world leaders after the […]
Read more »Climate Change And Water Security In The Himalayan Region
July 26th, 2013
As noted in the July 2013 issue of Asia Policy, a look at how climate change may impact water security in the Himalaya region: The hydrological system of the Himalayan region, upon which some 1.5billion people depend, is under enormous stress. Expected changes in water availability could threaten the region’s agricultural economies, place pressure on […]
Read more »The Parched Tiger: Water Shortage Crisis Looms Large In Bangalore, India
July 26th, 2013
Via Global Voices, an interesting report on Bangaolore’s water crisis: Bangalore, India’s third largest city and one of the fastest growing economic hubs in South Asia, stares at an almost certain water crisis in the near future as both the civic administration and the citizens struggle to cope with the already dwindling fresh water resources. […]
Read more »Hydropower Dams On The Mekong: Old Dreams, New Dangers
July 24th, 2013
Courtesy of Asia Policy’s July 2013 issue, a detailed look by Richard Cronin at Mekong River basin: Today, the Mekong River Basin is on the edge of a two-pronged calamity as a result of both the long-term and near-term actions of humans and governments. Of the two, short-term actions such as deforestation, the unsustainable consumption […]
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