The Scientific Implications of the Water Scarcity as a Challenging Issue - Term Paper Example

Running Header: Water Scarcity Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Scientific implication on Water Scarcity 3 Social and economic reasons 4 Interrelationship with Other Issues 6 Major Challenge in Social, Environment, and Economic Terms 6 Ethical questions 8 Strategies Adopted 8 Alternative Views and Measures 9 Conclusion 10 References 11 Introduction There are many challenges that are facing the world today in terms of global sustainability. Some of the major challenges or issues include lack of enough energy, rapid population growth, water scarcity, and deforestation among others (CQ Researcher 2009). Water scarcity can be defined as the lack of enough water quantities or lack of access to safe or quality water. Water scarcity problem is growing everyday as cities and populations continue to increase as well as increase in households, industries, and agriculture. This report will analyse the scientific implications of the water scarcity as a challenging issue, causes for the water scarcity, social and economic reasons. It will also analyze how water scarcity is inter-related to the other issues as well as consider why it is considered as a major challenge within economic, social, and environmental contexts. The report will as well summarize on the strategies that have been put in place or adopted towards addressing the issue as well as outline measures that can be undertaken in addressing the issues of water scarcity. Scientific implication on Water Scarcity Water scarcity is assessed by hydrologists by looking at the equation of population/water. According to them, an area usually experiences water stresses in case annual water supplies are less than 1700m3 per every person. When the annual water supplies are less than 1000m3 per person, then the population is faced by a situation of water scarcity while in case it is less than 500m3, then the population faces an absolute water scarcity (Luis, Ian & Lacovos 2009). According to scientists, water scarcity is experienced at the point when aggregate impact of all users impinges the quality or supply of water whereby the entire sector’s demands including environment cannot be fully satisfied. Water scarcity has farther-reaching implications in the future despite being an issue being dealt currently. The current experienced surging populations throughout the developing world are intensifying pressures on the inadequate water supply. Continued water scarcity continues to force the pumping of underground water at a higher rate than it is being replenished. This may end draining out all the water or making them move far down the water tables. This triggers a negative impact on environment and health (Ringler, 2010). Scientists argue that water is life and without water survival for human beings and other organisms in the world would be very difficult. This can strain the survival of various animals including human beings and organisms such as sensitive aquatic animals that might end up dying. Some species are likely to disappear or go to extinction. The global biodiversity is drastically disappearing due to increasing water scarcity. According to scientist, the water scarcity has arisen due to changes in the climatic conditions leads to multiple impacts on water (Rubio, 2009) Social and economic reasons Social and economic factors are greatly contributing towards the water scarcity around the globe. Population growth or increase as well as economic development are increasingly driving steady demand for new clean water supplies throughout the world. Population growth rate varies from one arid and semi-arid region to another between 2 and 4percent. This obviously increases the water consumption rate due to population increment. Population growth also results to problem of bad sanitation that greatly influences the quality of water (Sabater, 2010). The population increase is inversely related to fixed supply of water hence straining the water resources. The rising expectations of living being accompanied by globalization are also contributing greatly to the water scarcity and its availability. This is due to changing social life such as increasing consumer demands such as home dishwashers and swimming pools in the residential areas (Sabater, 2010). Human behaviour is another social reason that contributes greatly to water scarcity in the world. A lot of people consider that water is a social thing hence they do not realize water can become in adequate. This brings about the competition between various users leading to water scarcity (Sabater, 2010). This has led to over exploitation of the ground water which is not replenishing at the rate of use. The increased rate of movements to the urban areas has also restrained the water supplies due to the increased water usage. This also results to increased pollution mainly due to high rate of solid release as well as sewerage increment. This results to poor water treatment techniques and resultant disposal of low quality water into fresh water bodies that leads to significant water quality deterioration especially around urban areas. In an economic perspective, industrialization is a great factor that leads to water scarcity. Industrialization is known to take and use a lot of water as compared to urbanization. Industrialization contributes greatly towards water scarcity as it leads to global warming as a result of carbon release leading to increase in earth temperatures. This interferes with hydrological cycle resulting to reduced water levels due to changes in rainfall patterns. Industrialization as an economic activity leads to high levels of pollution that destroys water resources. This usually forces the users to reduce their consumption or go elsewhere to look for water. This pollution may occur to surface supplies or even ground water after seepage of industrial effluent and agrochemical run-off. Food productions especially for commercial use have also contributed greatly to water scarcity. In large farming fields used for commercial irrigation, large quantities of water are used leading to high reduction of water amounts in the neighbouring water stores. It is through these large economic farming that leads to high rates of deforestation that result to water reduction and consequently water scarcity. Interrelationship with Other Issues Water scarcity is usually inter-related with several other issues including deforestation, population growth, climatic change, and energy. Deforestation is the main factor behind drought that results to water scarcity. Deforestation is usually caused by human behaviour that damages the water catchment areas. This damage threatens potential of water sources areas leading to water scarcity. Deforestation on the other hand is as a result of increased population that search for more land for cultivation. Climatic changes results to changes in rainfall patterns and increase of desertification. This leads to reduction of water catchment areas and amounts of rainfall that definitely causes water scarcity in most parts of the world. When the water scarcity occurs, it leads to a reduction of water levels in rivers and dams. This increases the risk of reduction of water energy tapped in dams; the hydroelectric power (Wolfe & Brooks, 2003). This is because water is exploited to produce energy and therefore, water scarcity is greatly related to reduction of hydro-energy productions. Production of energy through nuclear, oil, coal, and bio fuel also requires quite significant amounts of waters. This means that its scarcity can lead to greater effects in the energy sector due to its interrelationship. Major Challenge in Social, Environment, and Economic Terms Water scarcity has been the major factor behind ethnic tribes especially in African nomadic tribes. When water sources becomes scarce, the few sources remaining becomes potential for conflicts, which is even likely to lead to wars. Water scarcity is likely to intensify the state conflicts that are likely to result to fully pledged water wars (Seitz, 2002). Water scarcity leads to threats of reduced food, energy and some agricultural productions. Some of the countries and regions of the world are restricting the use of water on agriculture due to their reduced levels. This is in an effort to shift more water to consumption other than for agricultural activities. This is likely to have a great economic challenge in terms of food production within most parts of the world. Reduced agricultural levels are likely to lead to reduced food productions that are likely to have severe consequences in the long run as well. Furthermore, water scarcity has a great effect on the social life of families, as they are unable to carry out various household activities adequately due to lack of enough water amounts. Families are unable to undertake proper cleaning and hygienic activities. This is likely to result to inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene which is likely to lead to high levels of waterborne diseases. Water scarcity as explained earlier leads to reduced energy production as almost all types of energy depends on water. This is likely to affect the manufacturing process within the countries and well as other economic activities that depends on the energy. This is because when amounts of energy produced becomes low, this increases production cost hence high economic impacts on the overall productions and economy. Water scarcity also poses a great challenge to some industrial productions as lack of enough water leads to reduced production processes. Countries like Australia, India, Indonesia, and California are having their economic growth being constrained very much due to water scarcity (Seitz, 2002). In terms of environment, water scarcity is likely to lead to damage of aquatic ecosystem as stream flow decrease resulting to increased salinity in many water basins. A lot of aquatic life will be greatly affected when water quality and quantity changes significantly. Increasing water scarcity is greatly affecting the biodiversity. All every organism around the world depends on water for survival hence lack of enough water leads to affected quality of life. Water scarcity affects the environment in terms of vegetation and wildlife. Many wetlands areas are diminishing as water scarcity gets to higher levels. Ethical questions Should agricultural activities be reduced in an effort to curb the rising water scarcity? It has been argued that agriculture uses a lot of water around the world as compared to other methods. Although agriculture and food production means need to be addressed radically in an effort to curb water scarcity, it become as threat on the other hand due to likely increase in food shortages in future as a result of agricultural production (Seitz, 2002). Should energy production be reduced in order to reduce its impacts on water scarcity? Energy production uses large quantities of water hence contributing greatly to water scarcity in some areas. Therefore, it becomes a dilemma to whether energy production should continue despite its high water usage levels. Should people adapt towards eating ‘thirstier’ diets as a way of saving and coping with increasing water requirements? Adapting towards eating food that is thirstier may result to some health problems. Strategies Adopted They have been several strategies that have been put in place in an effort to reduce water scarcity and its effects in the world. Such include intensive campaigns on the need to conserve water catchment areas, wetlands, and water basins. Governments and organizations throughout the world are launching diverse efforts to preserve available sources of water. United Nations is one such organization that promotes World Water Day in an effort to reduce water scarcity. International coordination and collaboration towards water conservation efforts have increased. Such include five Central Asian countries including Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan which have been sharing the resources of Aral Sea that has reduced to half its size in less than 40years (Gregersen et el 2007). Various water management strategies and programs have been put in place by several countries as an effort to balance between the users and water needs such as agriculture, power generation, and industry. Such include integrated water resource management (IWRM) which is key to all water sustainable development efforts. There has been increased use of irrigation techniques that saves water such as drip irrigation. There has also been increased technologies in terms of water desalination or water treatment that are salty in ensuring there is increased safe water for use in most countries like India and Qatar among others. Other technologies include use of drought-resistant plants, recycle of wastewater and use of ‘virtual water’ (Bhargava, 2006). Alternative Views and Measures There should be should be priorities of adaptations that mitigate water stress and climatic changes. There should also be promotions of ‘no regret’ adaptations that may bring around benefits in case water stress does not worsen (Food Ethics Council 2008). Water management should be improved alongside other sustainable development aspects including social and economic goals as well as energy efficiency and environment objectives other than seeking for isolation. Land use should also be changed in assisting to mitigate and adapt to problems of water scarcity. Population should be sensitized on various ways of saving forests and water basins by practising and properly managing the water usage. They should also be informed on the need to increase water harvesting through the means that maximizes the collection in order to get large amounts of water. There should be increased water piping development as an effort to transfer large water amounts from regions they are excess to regions experiencing deficit. Conclusion Water scarcity has become a global issue that need appropriate measures for it to be addressed fully water scarcity arises due to proper mismanagement of available water and continued changes of climatic conditions. In increasing human activities such as deforestation have greatly contributed to increased water scarcity. The economic demands for energy and changing social life are increasingly putting a lot of strain on these resources. Therefore, it is important to improve the already put strategies as a way of ensuring that the reducing water levels are well handled. Other appropriate measures that reduce the effects of climate change should be put in place as a strategy of ensuring there is reduced water scarcity that may result to crises. References Bhargava, V. (2006). Global issues for global citizens: an introduction to key development challenges. New York: World Bank Publications. CQ Researcher. (2009). Global Issues: Selections from CQ Researcher. London: Pine Forge Press. Food Ethics Council. (2008). Water Scarcity: A threat as big as climate change? A report of the business Forum meeting 24th January 2008, Retrieved 25 May 2011, from http://www.foodethicscouncil.org/system/files/businessforum240108.pdf Gregersen, H. et el. (2007). Integrated Watershed management: connecting people to their land and water. California: CABI. Luis, S. Ian, C. & Lacovos, L. (2009). Coping with water Scarcity: Addressing the challenges. Heidelberg: Springer. Ringler, C et el. (2010). Global Change: Impacts on water and food security. Heidelberg: Springer. Rubio, J. (2009). Water Scarcity, Land Degradation and Desertification in the Mediterranean Region. Heidelberg: Springer. Sabater, S. (2010). Water Scarcity in the Mediterranean: Perspectives under Global Change. Heidelberg: Springer. Seitz, J. (2002). Global Issues: an introduction. New York: Wiley-Blackwell. Wolfe, S. & Brooks, D. (2003). Water scarcity: An alternative view and its implications for policy and capacity building. Natural Resources Forum, 27, p. 99-107. Read More