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Jalisco Lancer
Sultan
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Topic: Scientists Say Risk of Water Wars Rising Posted: 20-Aug-2004 at 12:19 |
source:http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040 820/sc_nm/environment_water_dc
Scientists Say Risk of Water Wars Rising
By Patrick McLoughlin
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The risk of wars being fought over water is rising because of explosive global population growth and widespread complacency, scientists said on Friday.
"We have had oil wars," said Professor William Mitsch. "That's happened in our lifetime. Water wars are possible."
Scientists at the World Water Week conference which began on Sunday in Stockholm said that ignorance and complacency were widespread in wealthier countries.
"I don't know what will shake these regions out of complacency other than the fact there will be droughts, pestilence and wars that break out over water rights," said Mitsch, professor of natural resources at Ohio State University.
Mitsch told Reuters potential flashpoints included the Middle East.
"Continuing on our present path will mean more conflict," a report by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) said.
With the world's population growing at exponential rates there was extreme pressure on water supplies to provide drinking water and food, said scientists at the Stockholm gathering.
"In 2025 we will have another two billion people to feed and 95 percent of these will be in urban areas," said Professor Jan Lundqvist of Stockholm International Water Institute.
The answer was sustained investment in infrastructure.
An estimated $80 billion was invested each year in the water sector, but this needed to at least double, said Professor Frank Rijsberman, the IWMI's director general.
"I think if I look at the numbers I can't immediately see a way out over the next few years," said IWMI report co-author Dr David Molden. "I think we will reach a real crisis."
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Genghis
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Posted: 20-Aug-2004 at 13:41 |
I think water wars will be a third-world phenomenon, industrialized nations can affored salt water distillation plants, however, places like Africa might have water squabbles.
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demon
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Posted: 20-Aug-2004 at 14:23 |
And wars for water of course.
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Grrr..
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Styrbiorn
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Posted: 20-Aug-2004 at 14:29 |
Originally posted by Genghis
I think water wars will be a third-world phenomenon, industrialized nations can affored salt water distillation plants, however, places like Africa might have water squabbles. |
Yes, and living in a land of 100,000 lakes I don't think me or my possible descendants will have to worry about. It will be a problem in many areas though, and seeing now that multi-national corporations already have monopoly on water (an idea I personally find utterly disgusting) in some localities I can foresee major problems connected to water.
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Ptolemy
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Joined: 03-Aug-2004
Location: Canada
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Posted: 20-Aug-2004 at 19:58 |
Am I the only person who thought of the Sea of Gallile(sp?) Syria could very well interested in it, and Israel is really lowering the water level of that lake.
Edited by Ptolemy
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Tobodai
Tsar
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Posted: 20-Aug-2004 at 22:00 |
WHoever decided to take tap water and sell it nationally for more than gas and bottle it with the word niave backwars is a genious!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah well think of it in practical terms, too many people not enough water, how to fix this? have some more people die in some silly wars!
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"the people are nothing but a great beast...
I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
-Alexander Hamilton
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JanusRook
Sultan
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam
Joined: 03-Aug-2004
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Posted: 22-Aug-2004 at 15:51 |
Yeah well think of it in practical terms, too many people not enough water, how to fix this? have some more people die in some silly wars!
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Are you volunteering?
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Economic Communist, Political Progressive, Social Conservative.
Unless otherwise noted source is wiki.
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John Doe
Pretorian
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Location: Zimbabwe
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Posted: 24-Aug-2004 at 17:57 |
Yeah well think of it in practical terms, too many people not enough water, how to fix this? have some more people die in some silly wars! |
Advanced countries with money will be alright... we can already do this, we're just delaying stuff like water desalinisation because its expensive to setup... but when its necessary, it will be done.
Other rich countries like Saudi Arabia etc, should be okay, I think they have already started maybe... its the African countries who will suffer mostly, particularly in times of drought. Will the world care too much about more wars in Africa? Probably not, not much has been done so far...
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DSMyers1
Colonel
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Posted: 25-Aug-2004 at 18:13 |
Hmm. I watched a film discussing this in my Water Resources Engineering class today. Water will be in higher demand; in Mexico City there are already many distribution and processing problems. I do think that desalination will be a viable option for nations with the money for it....
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Tobodai
Tsar
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Posted: 26-Aug-2004 at 21:46 |
maybe water could be like a currency. Advanced nations desalinate it and give it to poorer nations in exchange for resources we may not have and mail order brides.
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"the people are nothing but a great beast...
I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
-Alexander Hamilton
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