Water / PRS - Polity Resources series (ePub)

Water is our planet's most precious resource. It is required
by every living thing, yet a huge proportion of the world's
population struggles to access clean water daily. Agriculture,
aquaculture, industry, and energy all depend on it - yet its
provision and safety engender widespread conflict; battles likely
to intensify as threats to freshwater abundance and quality, such
as climate change, urbanization, new forms of pollution, and the
privatization of control, continue to grow.style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;" />

But must the cost of potable water become prohibitively expensive
for the poor - especially when supplies are privatized? Do
technological advances only expand supply or can they carry hidden
risks for minority groups? And who bears responsibility for
managing the adverse impacts of dams funded by global aid
organizations when their burdens fall on some, while their benefits
accrue to others? In answering these and other pressing questions,
the book shows how control of freshwater operates at different
levels, from individual watersheds near cities to large river
basins whose water - when diverted - is contested by entire
countries. Drawing on a rich range of examples from across the
world, it explores the complexity of future challenges, concluding
that nations must work together to embrace everyone's water needs
while also establishing fair, consistent criteria to promote
available supply with less pollution.