World heads for 'water bankruptcy', says Davos report

[Dover]

DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) – The world is heading toward "water bankruptcy" as demand for the precious commodity outstrips even high population growth, a new report warned Friday.

In less than 20 years water scarcity could lose the equivalent of the entire grain crops of India and the United States, said the World Economic Forum report, which added that food demand is expected to sky-rocket in coming decades.

"The world simply cannot manage water in the future in the same way as in the past or the economic web will collapse," said the report.

Water has been consistently under-priced in many regions and has been wasted and overused, the report said.

Many places in the world are on the verge of "water bankruptcy" following a series of regional water "bubbles" over the past 50 years.

The report said that energy production accounts for about 39 percent of all water used in the United States and 31 percent of water withdrawals in the EU. Only three percent is actually consumed, but competition for access to water will intensify over the next two decades. ...cont'd

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090130/sc_afp/davospoliticsenvironmentwater_20090130174134

[unhappycamper]

1. It appears the bushies were on top of the shortage.

They bought 500+ thousand acres in Paraguay right on top of the aquafier that feeds Bolivia.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Paraguay is downstream from Bolivia

(from the southern section of Bolivia, anyway; the north of Bolivia drains into the Amazon). Is there really an aquifer in Paraguay feeding Bolivia?

[unhappycamper]

4. I believe that is the case.

I recall seeing threads about the purchase and the the new hacienda sits on top of an aquafier. This happened before Paraguay's leader was changed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. You mean you think the aquifer sends water uphill?

I think 'Bolivia' is a red herring, here. Frankly, no-one knows where in Parguay this alleged Bush ranch is - it's been variously (including in the same articles) placed at Paso de Patria (in the south), the 'chaco' (generally, the north of the country), Near Mariscal Estigarribia (north west), and Fuerte Olimpo north east). I think no-one has a clue what, if anything, was actually bought. Some of the rumours place the land within a couple of hundred of miles of Bolivia, it's true. But downstream.

[BR_Parkway]

2. Another push to privatize?

[KewlKat]

6. You can read the entire report at the link below

http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/water/index.htm