Future Of Water Management Flashcards
What is the main way to water security?
Co-operation and holistic management
What are the 2 approaches to water security?
IWRM
political co-ordination
What does IWRM stand for?
integrated water resource management
What type of approach is the IWRM?
Holistic
What does the IWRM require?
All aspects of water are considered not just water resources we store is reservoirs and rivers
Water is managed in a way sustainable for both people and the environment
What are the 3 aims of the IWRM?
Environmental quality of the river and its catchment is protected
Water is used with maximum efficiency
Water distributed equitably (everyone gets fair share)
When does IWRM work?
At the local level
When is the IWRM difficult to do?
When the basin is country sized
What would a UK example of IWRM be?
Private water companies must work together to share water
Problem is private companies trying to make a profit so might not want to share resources
What are some examples of where IWRM has been unsuccessful?
River Nile
Colorado river basin
Where is the source of the Nile?
Ethiopia
Which country really rely upon the Nile?
Egypt
How much water was there per person in 1960 in Egypt?
2190m*3
What % of Ethiopia didn’t have access to electricity?
60%
What did Ethiopia do to get more energy?
Built a HEP dam
When was the Ethiopian dam finished?
2019
What was the problem with Ethiopia building a dam?
Significantly reduced amount of water in Egypt
What was the water per person in Egypt after the dam construction?
570m*3
what will water person be in Egypt by 2025?
500m*3
What is the problem with political co-operation?
Easier said then done
What is the aim of political co-operation?
Ensure countries talk to each other about how a shared water resource can be managed to avoid water wars
How is political co-operation usually done? (water)
Water sharing treaties
what % of water sharing treaties result in conflict?
0.5%
Why are most counties happy to sign sharing treaties?
As it prevents the other country form taking there fair share
What is a local treaty?
When only 2 countries are involved
what is an example of a local treaty?
Indus water treaty
Why is the Indus treaty special?
As even countries who are enemies like Pakistan and India have managed to sign a treaty
When was the Indus treaty signed?
1960
Who signed the Indus treaty?
Pakistan and India
Has the Indus treaty been broken?
No although India and Pakistan have had conflicts for other reasons
How much water flow did Pakistan get form Indus?
80% of the flow for unrestricted use
What did India get from Indus?
Right to use 20% of the river flow
Limited irrigation, fishing and power generation
How are any disputes form Indus settled?
Court of arbitration (part of world bank)
Neutral expert used to settle differences
What is a global example of a water treaty?
The Helsinki treaty
Helsinki rules on the use of the waters of international rivers
What is the Helsinki treaty?
Intergovernmental guideline regulating how rivers and their ground waters that cross boundaries may be used
What does the Helsinki treaty state?
Members must use water in a way that is reasonable, sustainable and equitable
What are the concerns about the Helsinki treaty?
Will rising climate change and population causes the rules to be broken
NGOS concerned no punishment for breaking rules
Only 40% of worlds rivers covered
What will happen if there is a water crisis?
Conflicts possible even wars
Rapid decline of food production as surface and ground water supplies drop- higher food price
Dramatic decline of water in china, central Africa Spain and southern England due to unregulated management requiring imports
Increased use for agriculture and industry especially be newly industrial countries increase consumption
What will happen to water consumption if we remain business as usual?
Weak management and focus on profit means IWRM not totally effective
Potential conflicts
overall consumption rises to 50% as same usage pattern continues
Some food security decline in LICs, HICs avert food shortage due to technological strategies
What will happen to water usage in we take on sustainable management?
Global consumption stabilises (cost to control demand)
Most disputes solved by negotiation
Use of sustainable farming (smart water Isreal)
Increasing development and research into drought tolerant crops to reduce demand
What radial action can be taken to change water usage?
Emphasis on water conservation (limiting shower length Australia)
Strict control of water allocation, especially agriculture, to prevent water crisis (California)
Significant money on water diversion schemes to move water to crisis area
Laws developed to force regions to share water
