Water Crisis - Coursework Example

1 Water a Why will there be a problem i Population increasing demand ii Climate change iii Degradation and overuse b Who will suffer i What regions? ii Poor people? iii Urban areas? c Technologies available now. d Predictions e Possible wars? Introduction: The twentieth century saw wars and conflicts over piece of land, technology, political orders and various other doctrines. The 21st century is feared to bring along the wars that are not driven by any ideological, political or religious difference, rather on basis of water and natural resource such as the rivers and other basic elements that are essential for the mankind. This scenario at hand is as a result of number of factors. These factors range from the mankind’s contribution to the natural disasters to various others. Concrete steps are needed to be taken in this regard which would allow for mitigating the threat which is so severe that the civilizations would stand at a virtual standoff against one another in future, if incase this issue is not resolved in a timely and scientific manner. It can be safely said, that if the nuclear weapons, military tanks and other arsenal and armament were a means of superiority and strength in the past decades and past century in particular, the presence and availability of adequate amount of water and its adequate amount of resources would mark the stability of the country and its subsequent stable standing among the ranks of the various countries in the global community. Keywords: water crisis, wars, technology, scarcity, overuse, regulations. Thesis statement: Water crisis could not only lead to natural disasters, rather an internal unrest and struggle between nations. The best remedy in such a scenario is to act on emergency basis and find a solution to the depleting rates of water from the various mediums of mankind’s usage. A very common and apt adage in this regard sums up the future of water, its importance and its impact upon the future generations and the mutual co-existence of the various nations in this regard. The adage goes from the name of Mark Twain, who summed it up as: “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting”. The debate with regard to scarcity of water has been in hearing since the late 20th century. This is on account of number of facts. These facts are largely derived from the activities of mankind along with various other reactionary and natural processes that have been taking place throughout. As a result, it has led the scientists and environmentalists to think on immediate grounds with regard to the resolution of this issue which would enable preserving the balance in the natural atmosphere and providing a more suited future to the upcoming generations as well. With regard to the global threats and other challenges faced to the contemporary world and its inhabitants, the water crisis and scarcity has been rated among the top three with regard to the crisis faced and its usage, importance and utility to the mankind as a whole. The other two challenges so derived are largely due to the activities of the mankind as well. But given the fact that water is an essential to the mankind’s existence, it is therefore an alarming development. The mankind may get to live in the polluted air and absence of technology, yet the absence of water would bring about a virtual collapse and destruction of the mankind and its futuristic trends and existence as a whole. Between clean and unclean water: The last couple of decades saw the presence and availability of unclean water. The situation is getting grim by the year and time and the mere absence of the unclean water is a serious warning in this regard. The surveys and various findings in this regard reveal that the present day world enjoys only a meager two to three percent of fresh water which is fit for drinking and poses no impurities or un-added ingredients of impurity from the earth’s surface. The remaining bulk of the percentage which comes about in the form of over impure water holds up for the large percentage of available liquid resource which the world and its inhabitants are forced to drink and use for various purposes within their routine activities. At present, the fresh water amounts to a mere small percentage of meager two to three percent. This is seen as the net 39 percent reduction in the overall rates of availability of natural water resources through the last couple of decades. This leaves over two point five billion inhabitants out of seven and a half billion residents directly exposed to the river basins that provide no direct healthy water availability in this regard. A finding of the United Nations organization reveal that approximately half of the world’s population amounting to over three billion people are faced with the challenge of providing themselves with adequate amount of water supplies and resources. The present resources are either unhygienic or in inadequate quantity. The rising rates of population are another aspect of concern with the depletion at one end and constant rise in the demand on the other. The facts collected by World Resources Institute provide pictorial representation of the scenario and developments as they unfold in the various parts of the world and how they pose threat in a serious manner. The figure reveals some disturbing facts on account of availability of water to various parts of the world. One of the fact established from this figure is the scarcity level of water in Canada, Australia and United States of America. The figures rise up to as high as over thirty percent as a whole. The rates of requirement and scarcity are expected to rise in the coming days as the needs and nature of work and more commercialization of industry comes along in times ahead. Demand and Supply: The global population is on the rise and the amount has safely exceeded the seven billion digit. The seven billion digits means as many people demanding water for the basic usage along with other necessities which may not strictly include the daily usage of water. For this purpose, the water resource and other supplies came about a direct pressure and excessive usage, leading to the possible question and realization of the scarcity of water as a whole. Peak water phenomena: The peak water concept pertains to the maximum amount of water extracted from the reservoirs and other natural resources. The maximum extraction rate means that the threshold has already been achieved and any more extraction would mean a gradual decrease in the water level and water capacity that is available in the natural balance. The situation is believed to get further worse in the coming years. Given the overall needs and situation where the requirements are surging further high, the overall capacity is believed to further reduce by the next decade and a half with the overall requirement rates souring up to another thirty percent of the present day value and usage capacity. The fact that one fifth of the world’s population is faced with the challenge of providing for the means of adequate amount of resources means that the world is faced with serious challenge and this needs to be resolve on urgent basis before it gets out of the hand. Owing to the overall requirement and rates at which the water is consumed and taken up from the natural resources, it is being estimated and predicated that the water preservation would become a key topic and key aspect of interest towards the middle of the 21st century. This would come about in the form of analogy where energy is being sought for preservation, the water management and water efficiency would make up for a key term and key aspect of interest and priority among the various nations with regard to fulfilling their needs. Other alarming facts: The following set of data and facts provide an insight into how serious the challenges are with regard to the water scarcity level. In over dozen and a half countries, the net availability of water on average per person has dropped down to roughly around 1700 cubic meter per person. This is way too low than the normally expected rate per person. In a further alarming event of development, approximately ten countries are faced with around serious water shortage level standing. The standing of water availability stands at below thousand cubic meter per person. To make it worse, around five countries have already reached the threshold which is in form of lowest water rates availability. These rates have already dropped down to below or around five hundred cubic meter per person. Such a scenario is directly suitable for a drought hit area. Parts of Africa are exhibiting such trends where not only the mankind, but the animals are deprived of the water availability and resources. The people from those parts are reliant upon the unsafe and open ponds water which is commonly shared by the animals and mankind together. The figure gives an insight in to the list of countries that are faced with the water crisis. Some of these countries have come down to below two thousand cubic meter per person capacity and this is highly alarming. These countries used to have over five thousand plus cubic meter per person capacity and this has come down largely in the second half of the 20th century. Serious actions need to be taken in this regard as the scarcity in these regions would result in an overall state of panic and unrest on account of its direct implications upon other basic sources of survival for the mankind. With such a leaking rate of water and unchecked usage, the net amount of investments and various other projects that are in pipeline are bound to taste a setback and financial strain which may range up to sixty trillion dollars of net costs as a whole. A basic variable in the relationship between the demand and supply is that of the increasing rate of population. Owing to this, the estimates and calculations derived in this regard reveal that the net amount of demand of water usage and requirement of availability would increase by a staggering figure of over of forty percent in no time. This time period so defined is a mere two decades from now on. This is a seriously alarming situation and this demands concrete steps to be taken in order to provide for a concrete resolution which will make the future generations and the global sphere a safer place in its own existence in times ahead. From bad to worse: The general need for water preservation came about in the form of higher rates of usage of water over a given period of time. While the global rates of water usage have increased at a constantly higher rate, the case of United States of America and its subsequent usage in this regard is another alarming aspect and figure to note. This comes about on the account of fact and data collected which reveals that the patterns studied with regard to usage and consumption of over in the last half of the 20th century between 1950 to 2000 has seen an unprecedented rate of increase in the water consumption. This rate comes about at a staggeringly high figure of over two hundred percent higher rates of consumption compared to the previous decades and previous time. Another fact collected from United States of America and Texas alone reveals a dangerous trend that is in practice. This pertains to the net amount of damages that are slowly incurred in Texas alone .The damages are calculated in the context of figures calculated for next five decades. The figures so collected reveal that a net amount of one hundred plus billion dollars would be lost as costs incurred over period of time. This alone with the average reduction in the rate of availability over period of time which is calculated to be roughly around one quarter of the present value of available resources. The average costs that are calculated to be incurred on annual basis are roughly estimated to be around over three billion dollars annual. Such an alarming trend is not just limited to Texas alone, rather many other states have also experienced such alarming trends. One example in this regard is that of Kansas which has been estimated to have suffered plenty of damage already. With the given rate of water being extracted, it is being assumed and considered that the next four to five decades would further lead to drying up of lands on account of water being extracted at ever so higher rates and reduced level of backup and future planning in this regard. While the current situation and era is a phase where the general sense and realization has prevailed, according to the studies and surveys, if the patterns remained flowing the same way, the next two decades would result in further serious challenges and threats. With such patterns and trends, the decade of 2040 and beyond (2050) would be the crisis and threatening decade with the various regions at a virtual standoff against one another striving for and challenging one another with regard to the struggle for water resources and water storage as a tool. Co-relational fears: The co relational fears come on the basis of fact that water makes up for the large source of production in the various sectors and production industries. For example, the food industry, the farms, the yield, the cultivation process, the fishery, the plants, the marine life, the tourist aspect are few of the angles that are clearly run and dominated by the water availability or its subsequent absence. The absence of water thereof would directly result in the imbalance in the mutual existence and availability of the various basic elements of daily life, as a result direct threat to the basic existence of human life and the natural balance surrounding it. Possible wars: The common interests fall upon the grounds and basis that the rivers flowing through the mountains and from the oceans are often shared by various countries in common. On average through a finding it has been revealed that over two hundred plus rivers are being shared by two or more countries across the world on average between various countries. This largely leads up to the equation and scenario where the potential bottleneck and strangulation of resource as precious and important as water may lead to direct means of conflict between the various set of countries. It is thereby based on this postulate and assumption that the various experts from the field of history and human warfare have termed the water dispute to be the main cause of trouble that may result in serious challenge and conflict among nations in the current century. Not just the external threats and challenge of living in a commonly mutual regional co existence, rather internal dynamics within various countries are hampered on account of the water shortage and struggle for scarcity and capitalizing on maximum amount of water resources in this regard. This comes about in the form of building of the dams in the various cities, provinces and towns, or re-shifting of population to safer areas. All these are a result of the direct reduction in the water rates as a whole. Another alarming fact in this regard with reference to the regional disputes and conflicts arising from the scenario of commonly held and shared rivers include a figure presented by the global entity. The entity reveals that the period towards the second half of 20th century between 1950 and 2000 yielded as many as 1800 plus small scale to medium scale conflicts and disputes between various nations on neighboring lines based on the disputes over water and other natural resources of the same type. Further, trans border basin agreements were brought into force only to prevent any major dispute from prevailing. One common example of how two nations have gone into war was that of India and Pakistan who went into war in 1948 on account of dispute over the water sources. The United Nations and International organizations had to step in to stop any further escalation of situation and ties between the two. This came about on account of the water heads being blocked by one against the other with the case of upper riparian against the lower riparian. The geographical existence of upper against lower riparian often results in serious disputes and concerns between two set of nations. Pakistan versus India, China versus India and various other countries are engulfed in such a situation and scenario and this is largely on account of ever fast depleting rates of water resources and reservoirs from the earth’s surface which are resulting in the net tension build up and continuous struggle for the water capacity build up. This situation is not just limited to the external dynamics, many states within the federation and provinces have locked horns on many instances in this regard. Climate change as a contributing factor: The climate change on account of global warming is another aiding feature to the entire concept of water crisis and challenge. This climate change is accompanied by various other natural disruptions and imbalances in the natural processes. For example, the rises in the temperatures are resulting in the melting of the ice on different shores and oceans along with the North Pole. The subsequent result is that of rise in the sea levels. The rise in the sea levels means unexpected and undesired larger availability of water resources. This in turn results in the absence of water for the future long term prospects. Furthermore the excessive flow of water is resulting in the deforestation and erosion of the soil. The climate change is accompanied by the various industrial pursuits in this regard which come along in the form of emissions and wastes from the different sources in the industrial domain. Hence, climate change is one of the factors towards the depleting level of water with an imbalance in the current values which will take a toll on the future availability of water resources in the longer term. The way out: The way out as suggested by various think tanks, environmentalists and various other proponents who have taken up this initiative in this regard have devised a multi tier strategy with regard to overcoming the threat and potential scarcity of the water. This includes the multiple step strategy ranging from the understanding of the issue to the practical steps and finally enabling the creation of awareness and methods which would make up for safe practices. The following are four broad line steps and strategies in this regard which would enable the preservation of water and its utilization and usage in an effective way in times ahead. With various options on cards and many strived for, the process of management of water on fragmented level is another key aspect and option that is being considered for breaking the bottle neck. However it has been deemed as impractical owing to the general nature of the threat and challenge along with the surrounding factors and scenarios which lead to the need for realization and execution of steps that are more concrete and resolution based. Through the principles of incorporation of effective water management processes, a capex-driven solution is recommended in this regard. This solution is aimed at bringing about a balance in the net relationship between the gross demand against the supplies. The supplies being provided in a balanced out equation keeping in view the futuristic trends and requirements of the future generation as a whole. For the commercial usage and better utilization of water resources, a general concept has been adopted in this regard with reference to the agricultural discipline usage and utilization of water in fixed proportion. This comes about in the form of drop per crop where it is ensured that the water so provided to a set of farms or area is based on the demand and not out of bound and exceedingly unchecked water supplies. Remedial steps: Water treatment: Water treatment comes as one of the many solutions towards the better utilization of water for various sources. This is a large scale process which is undertaken on commercial grounds with aims of providing the house hold appliances and uses with the safe drinking and usage water. This is done so through the installation of the filtered water plants. Filtration plants established in this regard are relatively common in the various metropolitans across the world which aim at providing purified water for the domestic users. In order to overcome the challenges posed in the form of water scarcity and unhygienic water supplies, it is imperative to step up the process of water treatment. This may range from the medium scale water plants to large scale plants that cover up for the major towns requirements. This can come in handy in the case of agricultural usage. Along with the first hand remedial steps that are directed towards the preservation of water and other resources of direct usage, the remodeling of the farming practices is another modern trend that has been adopted and undertaken in this regard. This includes the use of bio technology incorporation for the purpose of using chemicals that would enable the production of seeds that may perform and produce even in the limited capacity of the water resources. Optimization and using of technological skills in this regard would further enable the processes of successful yield extraction from the given supply of agricultural products. Treatment: Desalination, usage of distilled water bottles, along with various regulations in the different disciplines that enforce the rulings upon the various commercial entities are few of the measures and remedial actions needed to be taken into account with regard to the water treatment processes. Investments: Infrastructure based investments would be needed to overcome this issue. This would require installing such setups on domestic level. The absence of infrastructure which allows for preserving the water needs, overcoming the leakage and further ensuring the safe utilization and usage in the timely manner are few of the aspects that are needed to be incorporated. This can be done so through the introduction of infrastructure supported programs which not only provide awareness to the end users at the domestic level, rather also provide for the system of check and mechanisms which ensure non leakage and various other non technical aspects that are contributing to the aspect of water loss and droughts across the world. This aspect would however require extensive investment. Only alone in United states of America, a multibillion dollar program needs to be incorporated into it with regard to the infrastructure supported establishment of water supplies. A net amount of over three hundred billion is estimated to be needed over next decade and a half to ensure for overcoming this obstacle and providing for a more safe option of water usage and long availability for the future generations. On global level, a net amount of fresh water availability is restricted to only ten countries. This base needs to be expanded and considerable steps need to be taken in this regard which would make the overall process of water contamination slower one and make it easy to provide for life longing natural resources such as water in this regard. The aforementioned figure and data reveal the set of countries, amounting to ten that have sources and supplies of renewable freshwater. India being the world’s second most populous country has higher rates of availability in this regard and this is highly encouraging. Such trends, practices and resources need to be expanded to the other countries in the region as well and largely Asia on account of the health care concerns and absence of basic infrastructure in this regard. On a very basic level without the need for any incorporation of technology or using alternative sources, ensuring the stoppage of leakage along the way is one other main source in this regard. This would include the steps needed to ensure that the processing leakages are stopped and proper supplies are provided in a timely manner without any wastage along the way. Managerial aspect Supply and infrastructure support Creating alternatives in the form of generating sources which provide eco friendly and water friendly means of generation and resources utilization. Who will suffer the most? Apart from the global industries and commercial sector investments suffering on larger grounds, the end users and home users may suffer more in this regard. This comes about in the form of health care concerns, life threatening diseases and various other aspects and angles which may contribute to direct negative impact upon the health of the end users at homes. Further, the economies of various countries would suffer directly and equally. This would come about on the grounds that energies and resources that were previously consumed in other constructive means would be shifted to the water struggle and building of dams instead of investing in the other sectors which may be of equal interest and proportion in this regard. Concrete steps: The concrete steps can come along in the form of industrial processes development which will enable the prioritization of the overall different energy based sectors and its subsequent consumption. Segmenting the various areas such as automation based industries performance, the pumping processes, chemical plants handling, filtration plants installation, recycling processes and plants installation, agricultural sector effective utilization of water resources are few of the aspects in this regard which will allow for a more effective outlook. This has been undertaken in a step wise process which is to be undertaken over a span of five years between 2013 and 2018. Along with the role of government enterprises, the private sector has got an integral role to play in this regard. This comes about in the form of considerations with regard to using eco friendly technologies. Furthermore, making use of the processes and the staff working procedures that are in line with preservation of the water resources are another aspect of how the private sector may contribute. Furthermore, contributing in the infrastructure based network support towards the organizational working and governments’ long term plans are key aspects. Adhering to the United Nations New Millennium goals is also a key aspect of how the different private enterprises may help overcoming the challenges faced in the contemporary world. Ensuring that any future developments and machinery installation comes along with the infrastructure supported functions is another key area and aspect in this regard which needs to be taken into account accordingly. Identifying for the areas and segments that are not helping the general cause of water wastage must be highlighted and the stakeholders that are negligent in this regard must be underscored against their actions and activities and subsequent actions may be taken in response to the given challenges and threats faced. Read More