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RSS FeedChapter 3: Boosting Water Productivity
by Worldwatch Institute on December 11, 2005
A sustainable and secure society is one that meets its water needs without destroying the ecosystems upon which it depends, or the prospects of generations yet to come. The good news is that it is possible to achieve this goal; however, there are significant challenges to overcome before this goal can become a reality.
The scale and pace of human impacts on freshwater systems accelerated over the past half-century, along with population and consumption growth. Worldwide, water demands roughly tripled. The number of large dams climbed from 5,000 in 1950 to more than 45,000 today. For a time, only the benefits of these engineering projects were registered. Their social and ecological costs—the people displaced from their homes, the soils contaminated by salts, the fisheries destroyed, the aquatic species imperiled—were hardly considered.
Easing both overconsumption and underconsumption are the two equally important sides of the global water challenge. In the developing world, the most urgent task is to provide all people with at least the minimum amount of clean water and sanitation needed for good health. But so far, the political will and financial commitments to provide the poor with access to these basic services have not been sufficient. Conversely, in industrial countries, curbing water consumption—including regulating the massive amounts of water used to groom lawns—is a persistent challenge. And in both the industrialized and developing worlds, there exists a great deal of waste and inefficiency in managing water. Opportunities to increase the efficiency of water use on farms, in factories, and in cities and homes have barely been tapped.
Individuals have an important role to play by making responsible choices about their water consumption habits. By choosing a healthy and less water-intensive diet, an attractive and climate-appropriate landscape, and a lifestyle with fewer material goods, individuals can help build a world where the water needs of all are met with minimal harm to the environment.
Sandra Postel and Amy Vickers
A sustainable and secure society is one that meets its water needs without destroying the ecosystems upon which it depends, or the prospects of generations yet to come. The good news is that it is possible to achieve this goal; however, there are significant challenges to overcome before this goal can become a reality.
The scale and pace of human impacts on freshwater systems accelerated over the past half-century, along with population and consumption growth. Worldwide, water demands roughly tripled. The number of large dams climbed from 5,000 in 1950 to more than 45,000 today. For a time, only the benefits of these engineering projects were registered. Their social and ecological costs—the people displaced from their homes, the soils contaminated by salts, the fisheries destroyed, the aquatic species imperiled—were hardly considered.
Easing both overconsumption and underconsumption are the two equally important sides of the global water challenge. In the developing world, the most urgent task is to provide all people with at least the minimum amount of clean water and sanitation needed for good health. But so far, the political will and financial commitments to provide the poor with access to these basic services have not been sufficient. Conversely, in industrial countries, curbing water consumption—including regulating the massive amounts of water used to groom lawns—is a persistent challenge. And in both the industrialized and developing worlds, there exists a great deal of waste and inefficiency in managing water. Opportunities to increase the efficiency of water use on farms, in factories, and in cities and homes have barely been tapped.
Individuals have an important role to play by making responsible choices about their water consumption habits. By choosing a healthy and less water-intensive diet, an attractive and climate-appropriate landscape, and a lifestyle with fewer material goods, individuals can help build a world where the water needs of all are met with minimal harm to the environment.
- A New Mindset for Managing Water
- Water-Rich, Water-Poor
- Water, Crops, and Diets
- Cities and Homes
- Industrial Water Use and Material Goods Consumption
- Policy Priorities
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