scholarly journals When States Go Thirsty: A Critical Analysis of Water War Thesis

2017 ◽  
Vol II (I) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Manzoor Ahmad ◽  
Adil Khan ◽  
Muhammad Imran Mehsud
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Basic Premise ◽  
Water Wars ◽  
The World ◽  
Fault Lines

This paper discusses water war thesis. It argues that water war thesis is loosely based on the arguments by different world leaders, and writers which state that the new fault lines between states will be drawn on waters. The basic premise of the water war thesis rests on the argument of water crisis; the demand-supply gap will make states thirsty for water. It asserts that as climate changes unfold and population of the world increases, the thirsty states of the world will vie for water resources which will result in water wars. However, there are different writers who challenge the thesis by arguing that instead of generating conflict, water scarcity will induce cooperation amongst riparian states. This paper mainly focuses on this question of whether water scarcity results in conflict or cooperation. In other words, it offers a critical analysis of the water war thesis

scholarly journals Vulnerabilities of the European Union’s Economy to Hydrological Extremes Outside its Borders

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ertug Ercin ◽  
Daniel Chico ◽  
Ashok K. Chapagain
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Green Water ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The World ◽  
Current Water ◽  
External Water ◽  
The Eu

Climate change is leading to increased water scarcity and drought in many parts of the world. This has implications for the European Union (EU) because a lot of the water intensive goods consumed or used there are produced abroad. This makes the EU’s economy dependent on water resources well beyond its borders since when a country imports water intensive goods, indirectly it also imports virtual water (water needed to produce the imported goods). This study maps the EU’s global dependency on water resources outside its borders in terms of virtual water imports and assesses how water scarcity and drought may disrupt supplies of key food crops that it imports. The EU uses approximately 668 km3 of water for all of the goods it produces, consumes and exports, annually. Around 38% of that water comes from outside its borders, which means that the EU’s economy is highly dependent on the availability of water in other parts of the world. In the near future, supplies of certain crops to the EU could be disrupted due to water scarcity in other parts of the world; a large portion of the water used in producing soybeans, rice, sugarcane, cotton, almonds, pistachios and grapes for import to the EU comes from areas with significant or severe levels of water scarcity. Although the immediate risks to the EU’s economy are due to current water scarcity levels, any disruption to rainfall patterns that occur in the future, due to the effects of climate change in the countries of origin of key crops, could have a far greater impact. This is because as much as 92% of the EU’s total external water demand from agriculture is attributed to green water use, availability of which has relatively higher vulnerability to drought.

scholarly journals Influence of Climate Changes on the State of Water Resources in Poland and Their Usage

Geosciences ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka ◽  
Sylwia Machula
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Water Losses ◽  
Water Abstraction ◽  
State Of Water ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Meteorological Elements

The study aims to estimate the amount of available renewable water resources in Poland in the years 1999–2018 and the extent of their use by various sectors of the national economy at the national and regional levels. In the study period, the selected meteorological elements were found to have changed, resulting in a decrease in the flows of the two largest rivers in Poland: the Vistula and the Oder. The outflow of the Vistula and Odra basins determines the size of Poland’s water resources. Poland is classified as a country of low water resources, as evidenced by the per capita amount of surface water, which in the years 1999–2018 was 1566 m3/capita. Water consumption to meet the needs of the economy and the population was stable, and averaged 283 m3/capita in this period. The analysis of water consumption by region showed that the areas with the lowest annual precipitation consume significant amounts of water for economic purposes, which may limit or destabilise socio-economic development in the region in future. Based on the difference between the amount of precipitation and water losses in the form of evaporation and water abstraction for economic purposes, maps were drawn up showing the deficit of surface water in a dry year. During periods of surface water scarcity, groundwater uptake increases. An area particularly exposed to water scarcity is central Poland.

Steep-slope cultivated landscapes: towards climate-resilient water resources management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendi Wang ◽  
Anton Pijl ◽  
Paolo Tarolli
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Steep Slope ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
The World

<p>One of the most important tasks for humans in the 21<sup>st</sup> century is to ensure food security in the face of water scarcity. Steep-slope cultivated landscapes are widely distributed and feed more than 10% people in the world. They play an important role in Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set in the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit which aimed to thoroughly solve the food problems in a sustainable way. In addition, more than 49 steep-slope cultivated landscapes are recognised and protected by UNESCO and FAO for their cultural and agronomic importance. <strong>It is necessary to find appropriate solutions towards climate-resilient water resources management and save more water for other ecosystems or human activities.</strong></p><p>Climate change-induced drought and high intensity rainstorms are global challenges for water resources management in agricultural landscapes. Growing aridity and extreme rainfall are particularly exacerbating the problem of water scarcity in steep slope cultivated landscapes. Though a number of studies have shown the potential impact of climate change on agricultural systems, little is known about role of water resource management (water storages, water harvest, drainage systems, etc.) in the mitigation of these climate impacts to ensure sustainable farming in steep slope agricultural landscapes. <strong>The aim of our work is to analyse the threats and challenges of steep-slope agriculture due to climate change and provide examples of resilient water management and agricultural practices in these landscapes.</strong> In detail, the aims are to better understand and compare how shifting climatic zones particularly affect steep cultivated landscapes and to find a feasible way for water storage to sustain ecosystem service and agricultural cultivation on hillslope in long periods of drought. GIS-based techniques were employed to determine the global distribution of steep agricultural landscapes, and to quantify the fraction of these that are facing future aridity. Finally, key examples of best practices in sustainable water resource management around the world are discussed, providing a guideline for improving the resilience of steep cultivation systems in future climatic conditions.</p>

scholarly journals GLOBAL WATER RESOURCES: CHALLENGES OF THE 21st CENTURY

2020 ◽  
pp. 6-16
Author(s):  
V. Khilchevskyi
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
River Runoff ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
River Flow ◽  
Water Footprint ◽  
Virtual Water ◽  
Human Society ◽  
The World ◽  
Global Water

The article provides an analytical overview of the state of global water resources and their use in the world. The focus is on the most important component of water resources – freshwater, which on the planet is only 2.5 % of the total. The most accessible renewable water resources are river runoff, which is distributed unevenly on the surface of the planet: Asia (32 %), South America (28 %), North America (18 %), Africa (9 %), Europe (7%), Australia and Oceania (6 %). Along with the characteristics of the known components of freshwater resources (river runoff, groundwater, glaciers), attention is also focused on trends in attracting unconventional sources (recovered wastewater or gray water, desalinated, specially collected rainwater). The total use of fresh water in the world is only 9 % of the total river flow of the planet. At the same time, the problem of water scarcity was included in the list of the World Economic Forum 2015, as one of the global risks in terms of the potential impact on human society in the next decade. Among the causes of global water, scarcity are geographical and socio-economic. Geographical reasons are the spatial and temporal (seasonal) mismatch of the demand for fresh water and its availability. Socio-economic reasons are the growth of the world’s population, urbanization, improving living standards, changes in consumption patterns, and an increase in irrigated land. The latter has become key to the growth of global water demand. Experts forecast that the limited access to fresh water in 2050 can be felt by 3.3 billion more people than in 2000. The article gives examples of a methodology for the hydrological assessment of water scarcity (calculation of the ratio of the volume of annual renewable water resources to the population) and the methodology of economic and geographical assessment. Other approaches to assessing water resources by creating new paradigms (water – blue, green, virtual, water footprint) have been characterized. Throughout the history of mankind, there have been many conflicts related to water. Active water cooperation between countries today reduces the risk of military conflicts. This conclusion was made after studying transboundary water relations in more than 200joint river basins, covering 148 countries. The right to safe water and sanitation is a fundamental right of everyone (UN, 2010). Therefore, among the 17 sustainable development goals adopted by the UN for implementation for the period 2015-2030, Global Goal 6 “Clean Water and Good Sanitary Conditions” is aimed at ensuring sustainable management of water resources and sanitation for all. This will save people from diseases, and society will be given the opportunity to be more productive in economic terms.

scholarly journals Water Scarcity in Brazil: A Case Study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Slater
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
The City

Between 2012 and 2015, Brazil experienced one of the worst droughts in its history. A combination of natural and human-made causes—including climate change, environmental degradation, poor urban planning, a lack of maintenance of existing infrastructure, corruption, and the mismanagement of water resources—contributed to a growing water crisis. This article will focus on the effects of both the drought and the subsequent water crisis on the vast metropolitan area of the city of São Paulo, illustrating how both natural and human factors combined to create a crisis in Brazil’s largest city.

scholarly journals Water Resources Management by Aquifer storage and Recovery in Jordan

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 2022-2026
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Aquifer Storage And Recovery ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Aquifer Storage ◽  
The World ◽  
Current Water ◽  
Per Capita

Water resources in Jordan are very inadequate which is why its name is counted among the countries that have the lowest level of water per capita in the world. The demand for water at this time surpasses the available resources of renewable water which have been overexploited in order to eliminate the gap. However, it is also predicted that in all the sectors of water, this gap is potential of widening in the future. To overcome the situation of water scarcity, there is a need for endangering sustainable development thus Jordan is required to adopt a strategy for planning and storing water crucially. The proposed method or approach in this project is focused on managing demand and developing non- conventional resources of water. This paper has provided the strategy of Aquifer storage and recovery for coping with the current water situation in Jordan along with water development and planning components.

scholarly journals WATER CONSERVATION: A GLOBAL NEED

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 138-141
Author(s):  
A. Verma ◽  
P Shrivastava ◽  
S B Nahatkar
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Common Features ◽  
The World ◽  
Ancient Times

Water is the lifeline of any nation’s richness and development. We should conserve water for future generations as it can be big trouble for the country. Since ancient times, the region of high prosperity for water resources was considered a subcontinent, but today like other countries of the world, India's water crisis problem, is vivid. India is the world's largest groundwater extractor, pumping about twenty-five percent of the world's groundwater use annually. Five of the world's 20 largest cities in water stress are in India, with Delhi in second place. India has 16% of the world's population and only 4% of the world's water resources, which are rapidly reducing. Daily struggles for the fetching water, mismanagement of wastewater, improper sanitation are common features affecting human health and the economy of the nation indirectly. The situation calls for widespread intrusion in the management of this rapidly growing problem. The water crisis will not go away on its own. On the contrary, it will deteriorate until we respond as a global community and use water responsibly. Therefore, before it is too late, let us all pledge to use water wool as individuals, families, communities, companies, and institutions. Intelligence is not in elegance, but preservation so that our future generations can enjoy the joy and touch of water.

NIGERIA: DELTA OIL EXPLORATION POLITICS AND THE PORTRAYAL OF BRUTAL IMPACT IN YERIMA’S HARD GROUND

2020 ◽  
pp. 21-34
Author(s):  
Uche-Chinemere NWAOZUZU ◽  
Ifeanyichukwu ABADA ◽  
Emeka ANIAGO
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Oil Exploration ◽  
Political Structure ◽  
Hidden Agenda ◽  
Fault Lines

This study presents an interdisciplinary approach towards a critical analysis of some impacts of crude-oil exploration in Niger Delta and polemics of viable conϐlict resolution framework. This approach involves analysis of Ahmed Yerima’s creative portrayal in Hard Ground which revolves around the variables activating conϐlicting emotional interests in matters concerning ‘black gold’ in Nigeria, and how these variables resonant in debates and demands for Nigeria’s polity restructuring because of perceived resource mismanagement. More so, our scope includes an analytical attempt at illuminating elaborately our interpretation of the dimensions to the loud and shrewd inclinations subsuming what some see as solution to the lingering conϐlict, and the suppositions explaining why others see the debates and demands on polity restructuring as dark convoluted ploys aimed at hidden agenda. Hence, through select theories of victimhood, this study attempts to elucidate on the variables propelling conϐlicting emotional interestsabout oil exploration in Niger Delta, by looking interpretively hard and deep on the perspectives, views and suppositions deϐining the ideologies and inclinations propelling them. In the end, this study notes that the disenchantments and troubles with Nigeria’s polity framework and structure as it relates to oil exploration in Niger Delta are subsumed in Hard Ground’s creativecontribution as a means of assessing the points to the fault-lines that characterize the subsisting socio-political structure upon which Nigeria stands and wobbles.

Collaboration platforms in water management

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Hidaka ◽  
H. R. Kolar ◽  
R. P. Williams ◽  
P. G. Hartswick ◽  
S. B. Foong
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
The World ◽  
Technical Architecture ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Collaboration Platforms

In many parts of the world, management of water resources and infrastructures is fragmented between agencies at multiple levels – state, provincial, and local – and sometimes between functions within individual agencies. Consequently it is often impossible to take a holistic view of the issues at hand to enable effective management of the resource or infrastructure – either because of the overhead of managing the coordination required, and/or because of politics between the different stakeholders. In their work for IBM, the authors created a concept of an information technology (IT)-enabled “collaboration platform” that integrates different water data sources with IT tools to enable multiple entities to maintain and share a “common operating picture.” This greatly assists with coordination and reduces politics to manageable levels. In this paper, the authors describe the collaboration platform and its benefits by reference to examples of such platforms in use, and propose a reference technical architecture for creating collaboration platforms.

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