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Water Drops: Celebrating the Wonder of Water (Excelsior Editions)
by Peter E. BlackIn this engaging book, hydrologist Peter E. Black celebrates the wonder of our planet's most precious natural resource. In these brief, nontechnical essays, readers are introduced to water's unique scientific properties, the vital role it plays in Earth's ecology and ecosystems, and the impact it has had on human history, culture, art, law, and economics. At turns educational and inspirational, humorous and reverent, the book also sounds a cautionary note: water is abundant, but it is also scarce. Only three percent of the earth's water is fresh, and only a small percentage of that fresh water is available for human use and consumption. Therefore, it must be managed carefully, and understood, lest we find ourselves with too little, too late.
Water, Earth, and Man: A Synthesis of Hydrology, Geomorphology, and Socio-Economic Geography (Routledge Revivals)
by Richard J. ChorleyFirst published in 1969, Water, Earth, and Man, was written to demonstrate the advantages of adopting a unified view of the earth and social sciences. The book considers the connection between an understanding of physical environments and an understanding of social environments. It explores the hydrologic cycle and highlights the significance of the relationship between natural environments and the activities of humankind, drawing together physical and human geography to produce a highly detailed study.
Water Ecosystem Services: A Global Perspective (International Hydrology Series)
by Julia Martin-Ortega Robert C. Ferrier Iain J. Gordon Shahbaz KhanThis comprehensive volume describes how ecosystem services-based approaches can assist in addressing major global and regional water challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and water security in the developing world, by integrating scientific knowledge from different disciplines, such as hydrological modelling, environmental economics, psychology and international law. Empirical assessments at the national, catchment and regional levels are used to critically appraise this systemic approach, and the merits and potential limitations are presented. The practicalities of this approach with regard to water resources management, nature conservation, and sustainable business practices are discussed, and the role of society in underpinning the concept of ecosystem services is explored. Presenting new insights and perspectives on how to shape future strategies, this contributory volume is a valuable reference for researchers, academics, students and policy makers, in environmental studies, hydrology, water resource management, ecology, environmental law, policy and economics, and conservation biology. Provides a practical definition of ecosystem services-based approaches for both researchers and practitioners. Provides a definitive reference for future research and the implementation of ecosystem services-based approaches within the water sector and beyond. Discusses new and unexplored dimensions to the ecosystem services field, such as human rights, thereby enhancing the concept for both research and practice. Brings together knowledge across a range of disciplines and is suitable for a broad audience.
The Water, Energy, and Food Security Nexus in Asia and the Pacific: Central and South Asia (Water Security in a New World)
by Benno Böer Zafar AdeelThis open access book considers that the Central and South Asian region sits at the middle of geographical, geopolitical, economic and historical cross-roads. Since the independence of the Central Asian states in the 1990s, following the demise of the Soviet Union, and emergence of regional trade and political ties means that the region’s evolution has also been subject to common drivers – external and internal, opening up some new opportunities. The long-term social and economic success of the region depends on how water, energy, and food security is achieved at a regional scale that combines Central Asia and South Asia, which are typically treated separately in policy and scholarly works. This book considers how securing the “Nexus” of water, energy, and food resources serves as a starting point for utilizing emerging region-wide opportunities. It does so by identifying the present state of play, deeply analyzing cross-cutting drivers (e.g., climate change, poverty, environmentalcrises and urbanization) and offering insights into possible solutions.The book offers an in-depth rationale for why dealing with this region as a whole makes sense; it is then divided into four sections: The first section, entitled “A Regional Overview,” establishes the basic facts around the state of water, energy, and food resources; this section is meant to serve as the foundation upon which further exploration and analysis is built. The second section turns its attention to “Regional Issues” and unpacks the Nexus into water–energy and water–food relationships. It also investigates how regional trade and coping mechanisms for environmental crises might inform the policies on the Nexus. The section includes a sampling of success and failure stories around implementation of the Nexus policies and strategies in the Central and South Asian region. The third section undertakes an analysis of the “Cross-Cutting Themes for Nexus Security” by investigating all the major drivers of policy and development strategies in the region: climate change, urbanization, poverty, sharing of resources across borders, and gender-based disparities. The fourth and final section uses the discussion throughout the book to formulate “An Integrated Narrative” around the Nexus. It explores how the new global development framework in the form of Sustainable Development Goals might offer a new perspective for achieving the Nexus security in the region. There is an argument that the Nexus security ties in with achievement of long-term peace and security. A final wrap-up chapter gazes into the crystal ball to test out some future scenarios – both positive and negative.
The Water, Energy, and Food Security Nexus in Asia and the Pacific: The Pacific (Water Security in a New World)
by Andrew Dansie Heidi K. Alleway Benno BöerThis open access book considers the water, energy, food (WEF) nexus in the Pacific region. The region comprises seventeen sovereign countries and seven territories spread across the Pacific Ocean, a blue expanse that covers a fifth of the world’s surface area but contains only 0.5% of the population—or 44.5 million people. The uniqueness of the Pacific and the need for a Pasifika-led approach to sustainability across environmental, societal and economical spheres requires this blue continent to be considered in a separate volume under the ‘Water Security in a New World’ series.This Pacific volume is focussed on water, energy and food security in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) and the challenges produced by the impacts of anthropogenic climate change and human population pressures. The diversity of culture, traditional knowledge and ways of life across the Pacific are united by similar geographies and opportunities to apply a ‘Pacific specific’ WEF nexus approach; a coordinated approach to manage water, energy and food that is centred on active decision making across the three sectors to increase the security of each. Importantly, a WEF nexus approach builds on national and international efforts to date in the Pacific which include Integrated Water Resource Management, Ridge to Reef, Source to Sea, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, Integrated Coastal Zone Management and other similar approaches.In this book, contributions by authors from governments, regional bodies, multilateral agencies, and academia describe water security and its intersectionality with both the energy and food sectors, highlighting the significance of both land and marine food systems and connectivity between water and energy in a Pacific-focussed context. It is demonstrated that these systems cannot be separated from the challenges associated with healthy environments and functioning ecological services, transport, and waste that are unique to this vast archipelagic region. To achieve meaningful change, it is essential that solutions are cognizant of the world’s colonial past and the global inequalities that persist today. The path forward for water and food systems is one that is Pasifika-led and builds on traditional knowledge and local capacity. National energy demands must consider the future with solutions comprising both WEF-integrated approaches and new energy technologies to hasten the transition away from fossil fuels. Globally, major greenhouse gas emitters both past and present need to step up for the environmental and economic benefit of all by rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting Pasifika leadership on highly ambitious net zero goals.This book is a highly recommended source of information and inspiration for policy makers, decision makers, research communities and practitioners dealing with any aspect of water, energy, or food security in the Pacific.
The Water, Energy, and Food Security Nexus in Asia and the Pacific: East and Southeast Asia (Water Security in a New World)
by Eunhee Lee Benno Böer Lawrence Surendra Jong Ahn Chun Makoto TaniguchiThis Open Access book undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the water, energy, and food (WEF) security nexus with a regional focus on East and Southeast Asia. Individual chapters of this book provide interesting nexus dimensions of the region and explore socioeconomic implications of the nexus approach with a special focus on the cross-cutting issues, including climate change, gender, and trans-boundary cooperation. It also discusses innovative approaches, advanced nexus solutions, and various future scenarios. Finally, it suggests that an improved nexus understanding based on scientific evidence is a key element to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With explosive population growth and economic development, countries in East and Southeast Asia are witnessing competitive consumption of WEF resources across various sectors and across borders. The diverse range of geographical, political, and economic conditions combined with climatechange and urbanization is posing a new set of challenges in the region. The long-term security of WEF, therefore, would need an integrated nexus approach through an enhanced understanding how the interactions between WEF resources are shaped by environmental, economic, social, and political changes in the region. This book is a highly recommended source of information and inspiration for policy makers, research communities and practitioners dealing with any aspect of water, energy, and food security in East and Southeast Asia.
Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Principles and Practices
by Vishnu Prasad Pandey Sangam Shrestha P. Abdul Salam Anil K. AnalWater, energy and food are key resources to sustain life, and are the fundamental to national, regional and global economies. These three resources are interlinked in multiple ways, and the term “nexus” captures the interconnections. The nexus has been discussed, debated, researched, and advocated widely but the focus is often on the pairings of “water-energy” or “water-food” or “energy-food”. To really benefit from the nexus approach in terms of resource use efficiency it is essential to understand, operationalize and practice the nexus of all three resources. As demand for these resources increases worldwide, using them sustainability is a critical concern for scientists and citizens, governments and policy makers. Volume highlights include: Contributions to the global debate on water-energy-food nexus Examples of the nexus approach in practice from different regions of the world Perspectives on the future of the nexus agenda Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Theories and Practices is a valuable resource for students, research scholars and professionals in academic institutions with strong interests in interdisciplinary research involving geography, earth science, environmental science, environmental management, sustainability science, international development, and ecological economics. The volume will also be useful for professionals, practitioners and consultants in /NGOs, government, and international agencies.
The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Middle East and North Africa (Routledge Special Issues on Water Policy and Governance)
by Martin Keulertz Eckart WoertzThis book discusses key issues concerning water, energy and food in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It provides an interdisciplinary account of current developments in the most water-scarce and conflict-torn region in the world. Key analysts on MENA water, agriculture and energy affairs have been drawn together to compile one of the first edited volumes dedicated to the crucial role of water, energy and food security in the 21st century MENA region. It will be of interest to decision-makers, analysts and students of the future of the Middle East from a broad range of disciplines including the physical and social sciences. This book was previously published as a special issue of the International Journal of Water Resources Development.
Water-Energy-Nexus in the Ecological Transition: Natural-Based Solutions, Advanced Technologies and Best Practices for Environmental Sustainability (Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation)
by Vincenzo Naddeo Kwang-Ho Choo Mohamed KsibiThis volume includes selected contributions presented during the 3rd edition of the international conference on WaterEnergyNEXUS, which was held in Tunisia in December 2020. This conference was organized by the University of Sfax (Tunisia), in cooperation with the Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED) of the University of Salerno (Italy), the Advanced Institute of Water Industry at Kyungpook National University (Korea) and The Energy and Resources Institute, TERI (India). The WaterEnergyNEXUS series of conferences are supported by the UNESCO World Water Association Programme (WWAP) and the International Water Association (IWA). It also enjoys the patronage of several international scientific societies, associations and organizations and has established a publishing partnership with Springer Nature. With the support of international experts invited as plenary and keynote speakers, the conference aimed to give a platform for Euro-Mediterranean countries to share and discuss key topics on such water-energy issues through the presentation of nature-based solutions, advanced technologies and best practices for a more sustainable environment within the framework of the ecological transition. This volume gives a general and brief overview of current research focusing on emerging Water-Energy-Nexus issues and challenges and their potential applications to various environmental problems impacting the Euro-Mediterranean zone and surrounding regions. A selection of novel and alternative solutions applied worldwide are included. The volume contains over about one hundred carefully refereed contributions from 48 Countries worldwide selected for the conference. Topics covered in the book include: Nexus framework and governance; Economic evalu ations for investment projects in the water and energy sectors; Innovation of renewable energies and challenges for the mitigation of climate change impact in the water-energy-food-nexus; Advanced technologies and nature-based solutions for the environmental sustainability of the water sector; Water and wastewater technologies for developing countries; Green technologies for sustainable water and wastewater management; Advanced technologies and nature-based solutions in water cycle; Control of hazardous substances and recovery of renewable/valuable resources; Renewable/valuable resources for recovery and utilization; Control of nutrients and hazardous compounds; Energy-saving technologies and future clean energy solutions; Future urban-energy systems with considerations of water and food security; Environmental Biotechnology and Bioenergy; Implementation and best practices. This volume is also an invaluable guide for industry professionals and policymakers working in the water and energy sectors.
Water, Environmental Security and Sustainable Rural Development: Conflict and Cooperation in Central Eurasia (Routledge Iss Studies In Rural Livelihoods Ser.)
by Murat Arsel Max SpoorThis co-edited volume provides a unified scholarly treatment of intensifying debates on the relationship between water scarcity and environmental security in Central Eurasia. Using discussions of sustainable rural development as its conceptual backdrop, the chapters in this volume combine solid empirical investigation with critical analysis of key concepts such as ‘scarcity’, ‘expert knowledge’, and ‘efficiency’. The central theme emerging from the contributions emphasizes the need to reevaluate accepted wisdom in resource studies that considers distributional conflicts over water usage as inherently zero-sum outcomes in which one player’s gains inevitably correspond to another player’s losses. Instead, the empirical and critical analyses in this book demonstrate that effective management of water resources can be re-conceptualized as the basis for regional cooperation and sustainable rural development.
Water Ethics: Foundational Readings for Students and Professionals
by Peter G. Brown Jeremy J. SchmidtHaving manipulated water for irrigation, energy, and burgeoning urban centers, humans are facing the reality that although fresh water is renewable, it is as finite as any other resource. Countries, states, and cities are now scrambling to develop an intelligent, well-informed approach to mitigate the growing global water crisis. Water Ethics is based on the belief that responding to contemporary water problems requires attending to questions of value and culture. How should we capture, store, and distribute water? At what cost? For whom? How do we reconcile water's dual roles as a practical resource and spiritual symbol? According to the editors of this collection of foundational essays, questions surrounding water are inherently ethical. Peter Brown and Jeremy Schmidt contend that all approaches to managing water, no matter how grounded in empirical data, involve value judgments and cultural assumptions. Each of the six sections of the book discuses a different approach to thinking about the relationship between water and humanity, from utilitarianism to eco-feminism to religious beliefs, including Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. Contributors range from Bartholemew, Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church to Nobel Laureate economist Elinor Ostrom and water policy expert Sandra Postel. Each section is framed by an original introductory essay written by the editors. Water Ethics will help readers understand how various moral perspectives, even when unstated, have guided and will continue to guide water policy around the globe.
Water Ethics: A Values Approach to Solving the Water Crisis
by David GroenfeldtThis book introduces the idea that ethics are an intrinsic dimension of any water policy, program, or practice, and that understanding what ethics are being acted out in water policies is fundamental to an understanding of water resource management. Thus in controversies or conflicts over water resource allocation and use, an examination of ethics can help clarify the positions of conflicting parties as preparation for constructive negotiations. The author shows the benefits of exposing tacit values and motivations and subjecting these to explicit public scrutiny where the values themselves can be debated. The aim of such a process is to create the proverbial 'level playing field', where values favoring environmental sustainability are considered in relation to values favoring short-term exploitation for quick economic stimulus (the current problem) or quick protection from water disasters (through infrastructure which science suggests is not sustainable). The book shows how new technologies, such as drip irrigation, or governance structures, such as river basin organizations are neither "good" nor "bad" in their own right, but can serve a range of interests which are guided by ethics. A new ethic of coexistence and synergies with nature is possible, but ultimately depends not on science, law, or finances but on the values we choose to adopt. The book includes a wide range of case studies from countries including Australia, India, Philippines, South Africa and USA. These cover various contexts including water for agriculture, urban, domestic and industrial use, the rights of indigenous people and river, watershed and ecosystem management.
Water Ethics: A Values Approach to Solving the Water Crisis (Earthscan Water Text)
by David GroenfeldtFully revised and updated, this second edition of Water Ethics continues to consolidate water ethics as a key dimension of water-related decisions. The book introduces the idea that ethics are an intrinsic dimension of any water policy, program, or practice, and that understanding what ethics are being acted out in water policies is fundamental to an understanding of water resource management. Alongside updated references and the introduction of discussion questions and recommended further reading, this new edition discusses in depth three significant developments since the publication of the first edition in 2013. The first is the growing awareness of the climate crisis as an existential threat, and associated concern about adaptive strategies for sustainable water management and ways of using water management for climate mitigation (e.g., practically through agricultural soil management and conceptually through ethics awareness). Second, there has been increased clarity among the religious community, Indigenous leaders, and progressive academics that ethics needs to become an arena for application and action (e.g., the Vatican encyclical Laudato Si, protests at Standing Rock and Flint, Michigan, in the US, and climate demonstrations worldwide). Thirdly, there have been new normative water standards ranging from "water stewardship" (industry initiative), water charters (Berlin) and the on-going initiative to develop a global water ethics charter. Drawing on case studies from countries including Australia, India, the Philippines, South Africa, and the United States, this textbook is essential reading for students of environmental ethics and water governance and management.
Water, Flood Management and Water Security Under a Changing Climate: Proceedings from the 7th International Conference on Water and Flood Management
by Anisul Haque Ahmed Ishtiaque Amin ChowdhuryThis book presents selected papers from the 7th International Conference on Water and Flood Management,with a special focus on Water Security under Climate Change, held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in March 2019. The biennial conference is organized by Institute of Water and Flood Management of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. The recent decades have experienced more frequent natural calamities and it is believed that climate change is an important driving factor for such hazards. Each part of the hydrological cycle is affected by global climate change. Moreover, increasing population and economic activities are posing a bigger threat to water sources. To ensure sustainable livelihoods, safeguard ecosystem services, and enhance socio-economic development, water security needs to be investigated widely in a global and regional context.
Water Footprint: Assessment and Case Studies (Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes)
by Subramanian Senthilkannan MuthuThis book highlights the concept of water footprint in different industrial sectors such as leather tanning, steel, agriculture, textile and wine. One of the very basic necessities of life which is soon going to be scarce is water, hence the environmental footprint assessments on any scale essentially includes water footprint which is being measured in various supply chains and across different product categories. According to ISO 14046, the water footprint assessment refers to the total freshwater volume consumed and polluted directly or indirectly across a product’s end-to-end supply chain. This book presents, for industry purposes, the focus on identification and quantification of water trade, the scarcity, and pollution involved in the production of goods and services.
Water Footprint and Virtual Water Trade in Spain
by Maite M. Aldaya Paula Novo Alberto Garrido M. Ramón Llamas Roberto Rodríguez-Casado Consuelo Varela-OrtegaThe evaluation of the water footprint and virtual water trade has become a promising means to evaluate the sustainability of a country's water resources. This book is based on the research and results of a thorough study carried out for Spain, which serves as a leading case for a semi-arid country. The objective of this study was to assess and analyze Spain's virtual water use and water footprint, differentiating the green and blue (surface and groundwater) components, both from a hydrological and economic perspective. This contributes to the water footprint and virtual water literature in several ways. By evaluating both water footprint and virtual water over time and at the provincial scale, the analysis allows for policy-relevant conclusions at the river basin level. By separating green and blue water components, and evaluating all crops at the provincial level, the study enables a finer analysis of how water footprint and virtual water vary during droughts and water shortages. The linkage between commodities trade and water scarcity was explored to determine the extent to which virtual water trade has the potential to deal with water-stressed periods. The analysis contained in this study includes both market and non-market dimensions and will appeal to researchers in both resource economics and hydrology as well as policy-makers concerned with water-related issues.
Water Footprint Assessment: A Guide for Business (Doshorts Ser.)
by David Tickner Ashok Kumar ChapagainAs business risks associated with water intensify – for example risks to oeprations, supply chains and reputation – many corporate sustainability professionals are seeking practical tools to help them understand and assess these risks. Water Footprint Assessment tools developed primarily by the research sector are gaining attention in this context. However, there is debate among experts and non-experts about the merits of this approach. Water Footprint Assessment: A Business Guide is a concise and comprehensive digest of emerging concepts, tools and arguments around water footprint approaches. Specifically aimed at business audiences, this definitive short guide to the issues distils the latest in scientific and policy literature, helps sustainability leaders understand what they can, and can't do with water footprint tools, includes practical experience and case studies and outlines the pros and cons of using Water Footprint Assessment and similar approaches.
The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society
by Arjen Y. HoekstraWater is not only used in the domestic context, but also in agriculture and industry in the production of commercial goods, from food to paper. The water footprint is an indicator of freshwater use that looks at both direct and indirect use of water by a consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business. This book shows how the water footprint concept can be used to quantify and map the water use behind consumption and how it can guide reduction of water use to a sustainable level. With a number of case studies, it illustrates water use along supply chains and that water consumption at one place is often linked to water use at another. For example, it is calculated that it takes 15,000 litres of water to produce 1 kg of beef, or 8,000 litres of water to produce a pair of jeans. The book shows that imports of water-intensive products can highly benefit water-scarce countries, but also that this creates a dependency on foreign water resources. The book demonstrates how water-scarce regions sometimes, nevertheless, use lots of water for making export products. It raises the issue of sustainable consumption: how can consumers, businesses and governments get involved in reducing the water footprints of final consumer goods?
The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society (Earthscan Water Text)
by Arjen Y. HoekstraUsing the water footprint concept, this impactful book aids our understanding of how we can reduce water consumption and pollution to sustainable levels. Since the publication of the first edition, the question of how to reduce our water footprint has become even more urgent. Freshwater scarcity is increasingly perceived as a global systemic risk and overconsumption of water is widespread. The water footprint, a concept founded by the author, is an indicator of direct and indirect freshwater use by a consumer or producer that can be used to analyze water usage along supply chains and assess the sustainability, efficiency and fairness of our water use. This new edition is fully revised and updated to reflect continued developments in this rapidly growing field of knowledge. New chapters are added covering the history of the water footprint concept; the environmental footprint of the human species versus planetary boundaries; and the human right to water as a foundation to equitable sharing. All other chapters are fully revised with new findings, applications and references, including major new research on energy, vegetarian diets and intelligent water allocation over competing demands. The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society is a key textbook for students of interdisciplinary water studies and those taking other related courses within the environmental sciences. It will also be of interest to those working in the governmental sector, environmental and consumer organizations, the business sector and UN institutions, where there is growing interest in the water footprint concept.
Water for a Changing World - Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity: Proceedings of the International Symposium "Water for a Changing World Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity", Delft, The Netherlands, June 13-15, 2007
by G. J. Alaerts N. L. DickinsonThis collection of papers represents the outcomes of the International Symposiumheld in Delft, The Netherlands, on June 13-15, 2007, at the occasion of the 50thanniversary of the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. The papers discusshow to contribute to the sustainability of effective international development andwater management with a diges
Water for All: Community, Property, and Revolution in Modern Bolivia
by Sarah T. HinesWater for All chronicles how Bolivians democratized water access, focusing on the Cochabamba region, which is known for acute water scarcity and explosive water protests. Sarah T. Hines examines conflict and compromises over water from the 1870s to the 2010s, showing how communities of water users increased supply and extended distribution through collective labor and social struggle. Analyzing a wide variety of sources, from agrarian reform case records to oral history interviews, Hines investigates how water dispossession in the late nineteenth century and reclaimed water access in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries prompted, shaped, and strengthened popular and indigenous social movements. The struggle for democratic control over water culminated in the successful 2000 Water War, a decisive turning point for Bolivian politics. This story offers lessons for contemporary resource management and grassroots movements about how humans can build equitable, democratic, and sustainable resource systems in the Andes, Latin America, and beyond.
Water for All: Global Solutions for a Changing Climate
by David SedlakA fresh look at the world&’s water crises, and the existing and emerging solutions that can be used to solve them It is not your imagination: water crises are more frequent. Our twentieth-century systems for providing the water that grows food, sustains cities, and supports healthy ecosystems are failing to meet the demands of growing population and the challenges brought on by climate change. But the grim news reports—of empty reservoirs, withering crops, failing ecosystems—need not be cause for despair, argues award-winning author David Sedlak. Communities on the front lines of previous water crises have pioneered approaches that are ready to be applied elsewhere. Some have resolved shortages by enhancing water-use efficiency, and others have used moments of crisis to resolve historic disagreements over water rights. Still others have employed treatment technologies that unlock vast quantities of untapped water resources. Sedlak identifies the challenges that society faces, including ineffective policies and outdated infrastructure, and the myriad of tools at our disposal—from emerging technologies in desalination to innovations for recycling wastewater and capturing more of the water that falls on fields and cities. He offers an informed and hopeful approach for rethinking our assumptions about the way that water is managed. With this knowledge we can create a future with clean, abundant, and affordable water for all.
Water for Food in a Changing World (Contributions from the Rosenberg International Forum on Water Policy)
by Alberto Garrido Helen IngramThere is not enough water globally for all the things humans need and want water to do for us. Water supply bubbles are bursting in China, the Middle East and India with potentially serious implications for the global economy and for political stability. Even the United States is depleting groundwater on average 25% faster than it is being replenished. Our thirst for water grows with our population, but the amount of fresh water available on Earth is fixed. If we assume "business as usual" by 2050 about 40% of the projected global population of 9.4 billion is expected to be facing water stress or scarcity. With increasing climate variability being predicted by global climate models, we are likely also to have more people without adequate water more of the time, even in water-rich regions. Irrigation productivity rose dramatically over the past 40 years as a result of the Green Revolution. However, even if we disregard the environmental impacts caused by that revolution, we are no nearer to achieving global food security than we were 40 years ago, as every time we come close to filling the food production gap population growth and ecosystem decline associated with water diversions to human purposes set us back. Our natural and agricultural ecosystems are trying to tell us something. This book pursues these overarching themes connecting to water and food production at global and regional scales. The collection offers a comprehensive discussion of all relevant issues, and offers a wide-ranging discussion with the aim of contributing to the global debate about water and food crises.
Water for Food Security, Nutrition and Social Justice (Pathways to Sustainability)
by Lyla Mehta Theib Oweis Claudia Ringler Barbara Schreiner Shiney VargheseThis book is the first comprehensive effort to bring together Water, Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) in a way that goes beyond the traditional focus on irrigated agriculture. Apart from looking at the role of water and sanitation for human well-being, it proposes alternative and more locally appropriate ways to address complex water management and governance challenges from the local to global levels against a backdrop of growing uncertainties. The authors challenge mainstream supply-oriented and neo-Malthusian visions that argue for the need to increase the land area under irrigation in order to feed the world’s growing population. Instead, they argue for a reframing of the debate concerning production processes, waste, food consumption and dietary patterns whilst proposing alternative strategies to improve water and land productivity, putting the interests of marginalized and disenfranchized groups upfront. The book highlights how accessing water for FSN can be challenging for small-holders, vulnerable and marginalized women and men, and how water allocation systems and reform processes can negatively affect local people’s informal rights. The book argues for the need to improve policy coherence across water, land and food and is original in making a case for strengthening the relationship between the human rights to water and food, especially for marginalized women and men. It will be of great interest to practitioners, students and researchers working on water and food issues.
Water for Food Water for Life: A Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture
by David MoldenManaging water resources is one of the most pressing challenges of our times - fundamental to how we feed 2 billion more people in coming decades, eliminate poverty, and reverse ecosystem degradation. This Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, involving more than 700 leading specialists, evaluates current thinking on water and its interplay with agriculture to help chart the way forward. It offers actions for water management and water policy - to ensure more equitable and effective use. This assessment describes key water-food-environment trends that influence our lives today and uses scenarios to explore the consequences of a range of potential investments. It aims to inform investors and policymakers about water and food choices in light of such crucial influences as poverty, ecosystems, governance, and productivity. It covers rainfed agriculture, irrigation, groundwater, marginal-quality water, fisheries, livestock, rice, land, and river basins. Ample tables, graphs, and references make this an invaluable work for practitioners, academics, researchers, and policymakers in water management, agriculture, conservation, and development. Published with IWMI.