Resource futures - Water Flashcards
Water shortages/stress in the future
By 2050, it is predicted that 15% of the world’s countries will be experiencing water deficiency, mainly in the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa) largely down to the economic developments in the area and consequent environmental impacts.
It is possible to manage water supply and demand in order to ensure water availability, so long that political developments form positive global relations and use economic profits for technology development quickly.
Water stress
Water stress is expected to increase in the future as the availability of water decreases and demand increases.
- Globally, water demand is likely to exceed the current supply by 40% in 2030.
- It is predicted that by 2050 around 2.5 billion people will be living in areas of water scarcity.
Water stress would lead to problems for people
- Insufficient drinking water is a threat to human life, where water is scarce, supplies of drinking water often become polluted, for example sewage.
- A lack of water for irrgation limits food production, this could lead to reduced incomes and stunt development.
- COmpetition over the remaining water resources is likely going to result in conflict.
Technological developments that will affect water stress
- Increasing water supply, improvements to desalination may mean that freshwater can be obtained from seawater more cheaply than at present with minimal energy use.
- Approproate technology, in arid countries such as Jeyna, sand dams can be constructed on seasonal rivers to trap water in order to make it more availabele all year around.
- Reducing water waste, nanotechnology could be used to purify polluted water allowing more to be recycled. Smart monoitoring of distribution netwroks could catch leaks early so that less water is wasted.
Economic developments that will affect water stress
- More economically developed countries use more water per person, this means that as more countries become more developed global water demand will increase.
- However as more countries become more developed they will also be able to afford the technology and infastrcutre to obtain more water and deliver it to where its needed so more people will have reliable access to clean water.
- Technological improvements to reduce shortages require capital investment of $50-60 billion to close the water resource availability gap. The projected global economic development could allow countries to close this gap.
- It is important that countries now begin to priories water security in order to protect future interests and do not simply prioritise economic growth. Currently, the annual rain of efficiency improvement in agricultural water since 1990 was approx.. 1%. This shows the room for potential improvements.
Enviromental developments that will affect water stress
- Climate change, dry areas are likely to become drier and wet areas wetter. Water management strategies will need to take this into account. However global efforts to minimise climate change may help to limit its impacts on water supply.
- Integrated catchment management, looking at all aspects of a river catchment can help ensure that water supply and use are sustainable.
- Colorado River Basin agreements have helped ensure that the environmental impacts on the basin do not compromise the ability of future generations to have access to water.
-The environmental impacts of water-source development are already being considered in developed countries through these management strategies, making it likely that developing nations will follow suit, accumulating to prevention of water shortages.
Political developments that will affect water stress
- Cooperation countries with abundant water supplies can help countries with water shortages, there can also be agreements between countries that withdraw water from the same source about how much they take, so that the pverall withdrawal is sustainable.
- Policies can ecourage people to use less water, water meter installation could be compulsory, so people have to pay for the water they use.
- For example, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to ensure access to water and sanitation for all by 2030, and the Paris Agreement aims to reduce the impacts of climate change that are exacerbating water scarcity. intended to mitigate.
- One of the key ways policymaking can prevent water scarcity is through investment in water infrastructure. Governments can build dams, reservoirs, and water treatment plants to efficiently store and treat water. Such investments will help harvest and store rainwater, reduce evaporative losses and improve water distribution efficiency. In addition, governments can encourage the private sector to invest in water infrastructure by providing incentives such as tax breaks or subsidies.
Technological developments will not affect water stress in the future
- Water technologies cannot provide alternatives.
- Desalination is vastly more expensive than traditional surface water supply infrastructure (dam building), which in turn is often much more expensive than efficiency measures, such as better irrigation practises in agriculture. Additionally, desalination is usually energy intensive and contributes to the climate warming problems that cause further water shortages
- If efficiency improvements continue at the current rate, by 2030, only 1/5th of the supply-demand gap will be addressed
Economic developments cannot affect water stress
- As developing and emerging countries develop further, global demand for industry and agriculture, both water-intensive practices, will increase and water shortages more prevalent. Industrial withdrawals currently account for 16% of global demand, this is projected to grow to 22% by 2030
- NEEs depict the relationship between development and water development well. Forecasts predict that by 2030, China’s water demand will surpass 800 billion cubic meters. This is in comparison 2020, approx. 581 billion cubic meters of water were consumed in China.
Economic developments cannot affect water stress
- Economic growth and developments is the main driver for the future growth of global water requirements to 6900 billion m3 from 4500 billion m3 which is 40% above current accessible, reliable supply.
- As developing and emerging countries develop further, global demand for industry and agriculture, both water-intensive practices, will increase and water shortages more prevalent. Industrial withdrawals currently account for 16% of global demand, this is projected to grow to 22% by 2030
- NEEs depict the relationship between development and water development well. Forecasts predict that by 2030, China’s water demand will surpass 800 billion cubic meters. This is in comparison 2020, approx. 581 billion cubic meters of water were consumed in China.
Enviromental developments will not affect water stress
Environmental development projects may prioritize short-term gains such as increased agricultural production or industrial activity, over long-term sustainability. This can lead to unsustainable water management practices such as excessive groundwater pumping, unsustainable irrigation practices, and the overuse of pesticides and fertilizers. Such practices can deplete water resources and degrade water quality, leading to long-term harm to water supplies.
Political developments will affect water stress
If political developments prioritize economic growth over environmental sustainability, they could harm water supplies. Governments can prioritize economic development projects, such as large dams, mining, or industrial activities that require large amounts of water. These projects can wreak havoc on water resources by altering natural river courses, depleting groundwater, and polluting water sources. This can lead to water scarcity, degradation of water quality and damage to aquatic ecosystems.
