Fresh Water Scarcity
“ . . .the scarcity at the heart of the global water crisis is rooted in power, poverty and inequality, not in physical
availability. ” 2006 United Nations Human Development Report
1. TOPIC
- Water scarcity: lack of water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region.
- Privatization of water resources: the management of the water supply is controlled by private
companies.
- Global Public Good: a good that (1) consumption does not reduce the quantity available to others
(2) it is impossible to prevent someone from using it (3) it is available world-wide. Ex. Health,
knowledge, environment, property rights . . . and water. Everyone depends on public goods,
neither markets or the wealthiest people can do without them.
2. THE GLOBAL PROBLEM
11% of the world do not have access to water but there is not a global water shortage.
3. Background Information
a. Water scarcity is a global problem
- Millions of women spend several hours a day collecting water.
- 1.1 billion people don’t have access to water; 2.2 billion people lack basic sanitation.
- 12% of the world’s population uses 85% of its water.1
- 1 in 9 people world-wide do not have access to safe and clean drinking water. 2
- In developing countries, as much as 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation
conditions
- Half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people suffering from a water-related disease.
- Globally we use 70% of our water sources for agriculture and irrigation, and only 10% on
domestic uses.
- Nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related diseases
- According to the World Health Organization, for every $1 invested in water and sanitation, there
is an economic return of between $3 and $34!
- Water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population increase in the last
century.
- Although there is not global water scarcity, an increase number of regions are chronically short of
water.3
b. Causes
- Climate change (floods, drought), pollution, overuse of water, lack of natural water, poor
management of water resources4
1
From [Link]
2
From [Link]
3
From [Link]
4
From [Link]
4. WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM TODAY?
- Regional discussions that see water as “need-based” rather than “right-based”.
- In 2013 the European Commission, seeing water as an economic resource, suggested to privatize
water so water access will increase and become more efficient. Others argued that water is a
universal right and cannot be owned and shared.
5. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
NOTE: Before each question you ask when YOU are the facilitator, remember to start with:
“What do you think?” or “What does your experience tell you?” or “What would/could you do?” or
“Tell me about.” or “What ideas come to mind?”
- From the video and reading, what, in your opinion, is the worst consequence of water
scarcity?
- How is action different if we see water as “needs-based” versus “right-based”?
- How will privatization of water support the water scarcity problem? How will it hurt
it?
- Is this issue important enough for organizations to create policy to protect water as a
“Global Public Good”?
- What can we personally do in respect to this issue?
6. VIDEOS TO WATCH:
[Link]
[Link]
