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Death On The Nile: Egypt’s Burgeoning Food And Water Security Crisis
July 29th, 2014
Via Future Directions International, commentary on near-term and medium-term threats related to Egypt’s water crisis: Key Points One in five Egyptians are currently experiencing food insecurity as a result of structural issues in the food supply system. The Nile is Egypt’s only renewable water source, but the shifting geostrategic balance between states in the […]
Read more »Tibet And 21st Century Water Wars
July 27th, 2014
Courtesy of The Globalist, an examination of how the Tibetan Plateau may determine the course of Asia’s future: The crucial global role that Asia will play in the 21st century cannot be underestimated. The pivot of global economic power is shifting east. Asia represents the new arena for analysis, power and influence. The narrative of […]
Read more »Damming The Mekong River: Economic Boon Or Environmental Mistake?
July 23rd, 2014
Via NPR, a report on Laos’ plans to dam the Mekong river: The Mekong is Southeast Asia’s most storied river. Its rich biodiversity though has been under threat for decades from things like overfishing and overpopulation. Environmentalists are now adding dams to that list. Towards the headwaters of the Mekong is Laos, one of the […]
Read more »Ethiopia’s Nile Dam Project: A Signal Of Its Intent To Become An African Power
July 14th, 2014
Via The Guardian, an updated look at the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam which will provide energy for its growing economy but add to Egypt’s fears over water security: Labourers work at the Grand Renaissance dam in Guba Woreda, Ethiopia. The 4×4 roars off, kicking up a cloud of dust. With one hand on the wheel, […]
Read more »Irrigation Practices And Potential For Water Conflict In The Tibetan Plateau
June 19th, 2014
Via Future Directions, a report on the potential for conflict over water rights in the Tibetan Plateau, especially in light of existing irrigation practices. The full report is below but here is the key section re: areas for possible tension: As water becomes scarcer, conflicting claims over shared water resources pose a major regional security […]
Read more »Last Straw: How The Fortunes Of Las Vegas Will Rise Or Fall With Lake Mead
June 15th, 2014
Via Popular Science, a detailed look at the massive, expensive, and politically fraught project to build a new tunnel under Lake Mead to deliver water to Las Vegas: The bathtub ring can be seen for miles. The 120-foot-high band of rock, bleached nearly white by mineral-rich water, circles the shoreline of Lake Mead. Water levels […]
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