Water resources nowadays are ever more unevenly distributed across the face of the world. With largely unrestrained population growth, unchecked pollution and significant climate change, some regions of the world are threatened with a shortage of water that could lead to intercommunal tensions. The answer lies primarily in a new attitude towards water, which implies consuming less and managing it more efficiently. The development and use of new technologies will help. But real priority must be given to water and its treatment. There are financial, ethical, governmental, energy-related and geopolitical answers, but the international community must take the initiative in implementing them.
Water: a Strategic Priority
‘The absence or shortage of drinking water kills ten times more people than all armed conflicts’.(1) And this situation can only get worse if we persist in the error of not considering water as a fundamental element of world security.
It is probable that nearly two billion people lack permanent and reliable access to fresh water. This includes not just private access to a tap, but also the durable availability of water for agriculture, or for the production of industrial goods.
Obstacles to Good Water Management
There is certainly enough fresh water to meet the planet’s growing needs. But man is the enemy of water, and three essential factors militate against a coherent management policy.
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