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Another Middle East “Hot Spot:” Iraq in Water Talks with Turkey & Syria
May 28th, 2008
As noted by Terra Daily, Iraq – in the grip of a severe drought and needs more water for agriculture and drinking, opened talks with Turkey and Syria in a bid to increase the flow of Euphrates & Tigris rivers and end severe water shortages. Just another example of water stress in the Middle East.Â
Read more »China, Tibet, and the strategic power of water
May 23rd, 2008
As reported by Circle of Blue, a number of experts say that control and management of an even more vital resource – the Tibetan Plateau’s vast supply of freshwater – is also emerging at the center of the increasingly tense political and cultural strife between China and Tibet. As the article notes: “…the Tibetan Plateau […]
Read more »The Great Lakes – Another Aral Sea?
May 23rd, 2008
Reading Toronto recently published a provocative report which contemplated the possibility that the havoc exploitative policies caused on the Aral Sea’s once seemingly robust ecosystem could conceivably emerge in North America if various jurisdictions (i.e. Canada, the U.S., various states & provinces) manage the Great Lakes with selfish, short-terms views in mind. As the article […]
Read more »Successful Cooperation in the Niger Basin
May 7th, 2008
As reported by AFP, not all water politics are tales of animosity or conflict – there are some examples of successful cooperation. West African heads of state recently adopted a 5.5 billion-euro (8.6-billion-dollar), 20-year rescue plan to save the Niger River from extinction and guarantee the future of 110 million people. As the article noted: […]
Read more »The Thirsty U.S. West – Water Woes To Beget New Dams?
March 11th, 2008
As reported in The Seattle Times, a booming population, droughts, and growing fears about climate change have regional governments once again studying dams, this time to create huge reservoirs to capture more winter rain and spring snowmelt for use in dry summer months. This despite the fact that the era of massive dam construction in […]
Read more »A Royal Flush (2): Potential Alternatives to Addressing Nevada’s Water Issues
March 11th, 2008
According to an article in the Salt Lake City Tribune, there are a number of potential alternatives to the water pipeline proposed by Nevada, some of which may also have potential benefits for Lake Powell and Utah. Seventeen options are noted, including those listed below. We find it interesting and instructive that several of these […]
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