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Page added on November 8, 2014
Ground water depletion driving global conflicts
Global ground water supplies, crucial for sustaining agriculture, are being depleted at an alarming rate with dangerous security implications, a leading scientist said.
“It’s a major cause for concern because most of the places where it (ground water depletion) is happening are major food producing regions,” James Famiglietti, a University of California professor who conducts research for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), said in an interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“India is the worst off, followed by the Middle East, and the U.S. is probably number three … the Chinese, particularly on the north China plain, are more water limited than people believe.”
Famiglietti’s conclusions are based on his latest research paper “The global ground water crisis” published in the journal Nature Climate Change last month.
The study uses analysis of satellite images to warn that ground water in many of the world’s largest aquifers is being exploited at a far faster rate than it can be naturally replenished.
Farming accounts for more than 80 percent of the United States’ water use, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the figures are similar globally.
Famiglietti has been called to the Pentagon a number of times to discuss the potential impact of groundwater scarcity with leading military planners.
Water-related conflicts are already happening, he said, and security experts are bracing for more.
“In 90 percent of the world where there are violent conflicts, there are water scarcity issues,” he said.
Water scarcity has been one component driving Syria’s civil war, he said. The agricultural sector lacks sufficient water to farm, and a “young generation of unhappy farmers moved to the city and conflict ensued”.
Oil-rich, water scarce countries in the Gulf currently rely on desalinated sea water for much of their water consumption.
Some analysts suggest that more countries will embrace energy-intensive desalination, particularly using nuclear technology, if current trends continue.
Famiglietti said this would not be a good option, as it requires too much energy, and won’t be able to efficiently provide the volumes of water needed for large-scale agriculture.
Governments first need to acknowledge there is a problem, he said, and then factor scarcity into pricing, while investing in conservation and new technologies to promote efficiency.
8 Comments on "Ground water depletion driving global conflicts"
Davy on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 9:38 am
This water scarcity will worsen with energy scarcity and insecurity set to start in 3-5 years. The ground water pumping will diminish since this activity is energy intensive. At some point the cost to obtain ground water will be more than the economic value of the water obtained. Unfortunately the fossil water will not be recharged in our lifetimes. It is a mined resource. This is another barrier to further population growth that will strike in 5 to 10 years. The depletion effects are happening currently. The combination of depletion and energy scarcity will compound food productivity growth globally and urban growth in water scarce regions. What do they call this in Hollywood, oh yea, a perfect storm.
J-Gav on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 10:45 am
I don’t think that water depletion is ‘the’ main factor in most global conflicts today but, as Davy says, that is more and more likely to be the case as times goes on.
GregT on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 11:05 am
Here’s an idea:
Why not make all of the world’s fresh water a traded commodity? That way we would never run out of water. The free market would provide.
Econ 101 🙂
Davy on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 11:08 am
Greg, how dare you steal NOo’s ideas.
ghung on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 11:35 am
I expect water conflicts between China and India in coming decades as China continues to dam rivers providing much of the water to eastern India and Bangladesh, mainly the Brahmaputra River:
” However, at present, China’s per capita water reserve is approximately 2300 cubic metres – one-fourth of the world’s average. China is, therefore, considered as the 13th most ‘water-poor’ country in the world with 80 per cent of its cities severely water stressed. More so, China’s northern region possesses only 14.5 per cent of the entire country’s water resources. As water supplies tighten, the water quality is degrading, ecology is suffering, and lands are becoming barren. This threatens the country’s economic growth. Thus, the ever-increasing gap in the demand and supply chain in China’s northern region has now pushed the country to move forward with its many dam projects.
China is keen to divert 150 billion cubic meters (BCM) of water and ‘push’ the waters to irrigate northern China. Of this, 50 BCM would be diverted from the Brahmaputra. In October 2013, India asserted the need for a water sharing treaty with China. This came about, following the paranoia generated after the announcement of the 510-MW Zangmu project along the course of the river.
However, although Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned with an agreement on sharing water-related information during the monsoon months, there was no mention of the planned diversion of the Brahmaputra. “
http://www.ipcs.org/article/south-asia/india-china-a-water-war-over-the-brahmaputra-4415.html
penury on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 11:39 am
The world is rich in water. Water is a renewable resource. But nothing on this planet is in infinite supply. Humans like other life do not consider the finite nature of the resource they use. Every day there are more humans who expect to be provided with the resources and when they are in short supply, they take them from their neighbors. Today it is oil, tomorrow water, food is always in play. In the current predicament it is no longer who has the most resources, it is who has the largest military and who can maintain control of the most resources for the benefit of the elites.
henriksson on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 2:38 pm
“Some analysts suggest that more countries will embrace energy-intensive desalination, particularly using nuclear technology, if current trends continue.”
Considering that nuclear power plants are major water hogs, one has to wonder about the rationality of this.
Kenz300 on Sat, 8th Nov 2014 2:53 pm
The world adds 80 million more people to feed, clothe, house and provide energy and water for every year.
Endless population growth is not sustainable.
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Sao Paulo Drought Leaves Brazil’s Biggest City Desperate For Water
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/sao-paulo-drought_n_6118888.html?utm_hp_ref=green