Slides from the “Water is the New Oil” Current Affairs Discussion Group:
Current Affairs Discussion Group: Water is the new oil
June 11, 2020, from 3:00pm to 4:25pm
The next session of the Current Affairs Discussion Group, to be held on Thursday June 11th from 3.00-4.25 pm is on the topic of water, encompassing a multiplicity of aspects.
Access to clean, safe drinking water is considered a human right and the total lack of it is a killer, clear and simple. But freshwater is not only crucial for individual survival. Water scarcity can have severe political implications as rivers and lakes form the borders between some countries and some rivers run through several countries: economic success depends on water, it affects agricultural production and trade, electric power generation and so on.
Water has been dubbed “the next oil”, alluding both to its value as an increasingly scarce resource and to the hydro-political games that will be played as it really sinks in that freshwater sources are drying up while demand for water is expected to grow 55% between 2000 and 2050. The importance of water naturally leads to competition for access and many conflicts across the globe derive from disagreement over water resources and how the supply is managed.
Those wishing to join us should RSVP at uwcstudygroups@gmail.com. Participation will be limited to 20 Members.
Here is a list of reading material. There is so much more on this all-encompassing subject, but I had to draw the line somewhere…
Reading list links:
Please also read the following background material on which the discussion will be based:
Coordinated by: Phyllis Barrantes