Averting water wars and sustainable development By: Rowan Boswood ( ); Richard Gallier ( ); Craig Haddow( ); Andrew Rowan ( ) IMS3 Sustainability Module, March 2009 Why have water wars? Expanding agriculture and increased production have greatly increased water consumption In the past three decades the human population has doubled and water consumption has tripled, as people aspire after the water intensive western lifestyle – making water a more precious commodity with little agreement over sovereignty. Climate change is making the droughts longer and the floods more severe. Due to overuse some of the great rivers of the world no longer reach the sea with any appreciable volume. More powerful upstream countries claim sovereignty of water, bullying their weaker neighbours. Some countries aim to build dams for water diversion and power generation for example China’s plans to divert the Brahmaputra References : 1. Mcnally A, Magee D, Wolf A (2008). Hydropower and sustainability: Resilience and vulnerability in China's powersheds. Journal of environmental management Alam U (2002). Questioning the Water Wars Rationale. The Geographical Journal Vol. 168, No. 4 p Global water partnership technical advisory committee ( 2000). Integrated water resource management, Background paper number 4. [Accessed 12th Feb 2009] Fig 1 (accessed 10/3/09) Fig 2 e/wah20-e/grafik/Tafel1_2.jpg Fig 3 WWF website (accessed 12/3/09) e/wah20-e/grafik/Tafel1_2.jpghttp:// Introduction With population increasing by roughly 100 million a year and developing nations demanding western living standards, overall water demand has increased by around 600% since 1900 and is predicted to continue to rise. Due to no change in global fresh water supply, a large percentage of the population are now living in arid regions consuming water in an unsustainable manner. With water scarce regions crossing political boundaries, political and engineering solutions must be sought to avert wars over the shared resource. Engineering Solutions Dams Dams have several uses including flood prevention, power and water supply etc. Dams can provide access to irrigation for agriculture by storing water in times of surplus and dispensing in times of scarcity. Social Aspects – Dams are thought to have displaced around 60 million people from their homes worldwide, also destroyed several heritage sites. Reverse Osmosis Energy intensive desalination process used to remove minerals and salts from water in order to make it suitable for human consumption. Economically it is not feasible to have large scale reverse osmosis plants due to the expensive technology used within e.g the filter membrane. Environment Disposal of the by-product (brine) can have adverse effect on water quality and damage marine life. Political solutions World Bank President James Wolfensohn said “The biggest problem with water is the waste of water through lack of charging.” The world bank believe that privatization of water will increase prices but improve infrastructure. Often the poor are left unable to pay for water e.g. Cochabamba The UN proposes monitoring worldwide reserves of drinking water and establishing agreements between countries. The UN also advocates a change of agricultural planning, and biological development helping crops survive in arid conditions The importing of “virtual water” through commodities like grain buffers the affects of water scarcity. Fig 3 Fig 1 Fig 2 Potential conflict areas China Vs India China plan to restrict flow of major rivers into India Israel and Jordan Both nations claiming sovereignty of scarce water supply Egypt Vs Ethiopia Both countries are vying for their share of the depleted Nile Fig 3