Gunin Borah
(The writer is the HoD of Geography at Biswanath College, Chariali. He can be reached at borah.gunin@gmail.com.)
Water is a vital resource for all living beings on earth. Although it is a
renewable resource, the scarcity of quality water is felt in many parts of the world. We need water to grow food, keep clean, generate electricity, control fire, and last but not least, stay alive.
This year, World Water Day focuses on the theme ‘Water for Peace’ emphasising the importance of the role of water in promoting harmony and preventing conflicts. According to the United Nations, water can be both a source of unity and a point of contention between communities and states, especially when access to water is unequal or scarce. As more than 60% of global freshwater flows traverse political boundaries, trans-boundary water cooperation is crucial for regional stability and conflict prevention. Countries should develop agreements and set up joint institutions to peacefully manage shared water resources. Effective trans-boundary water cooperation acts as a powerful tool for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, addressing the root causes of conflict and building trust between water users, communities, and countries sharing water resources. There are only 24 countries that share rivers, lakes, and aquifers with their neighbours and have cooperation agreements on shared water resources.
Water is very important for life; hence, peace or conflict over water can increase. When water becomes scarce or polluted, it is not available to all people equally. This can increase tension between people, communities, or countries. And it can create an atmosphere of war. There are 3 billion people in the world who do not have water sources in their country and are dependent on other countries; hence, there are water agreements between many countries. As populations are increasing, climate change is also increasing, and the problem of natural resources is also increasing. We need to work together to save these natural resources.
With the increasing impacts of climate change, there is a need to promote the union among countries to work together to conserve the Earth’s most important natural resource. When we cooperate on water, we create a positive cascade effect across society that generates prosperity and builds resilience to challenges. It is in this context that the 2024 World Water Day campaign focuses on international brotherhood and cooperation. Water can trigger conflicts; it can increase tensions between nations with different needs and interests, especially in water-scarce regions. On the other hand, water can be a catalyst for peace at all levels if an integrated and inclusive approach is taken.
The world’s ocean water covers about 71 percent of the surface of the earth. Therefore, the earth is called a water planet. Of all this water, only 2.5 percent is fresh water; the other 97.5 percent is saline water. Almost 69 percent of fresh water resources are tied up in glaciers and ice caps; about 30 percent is ground water, and a mere 0.27 percent is surface water. While all kinds of water resources are important for the survival of the planet, accessible fresh water is especially important for humans. Global warming and perpetuating water pollution have made a considerable part of available freshwater unfit for human consumption. As a result, water is very scarce.
The Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, has estimated that with 2.50 percent of the global land mass, India has only 4% of the world’s total freshwater resources. This has, however, come under increasing demographic stress since India is home to about 16% of the world’s population and the distribution of freshwater is skewed spatially and temporally. Water resources are used for agricultural, industrial, domestic, recreational, and environmental activities. A majority of the uses require fresh water from the surface as well as groundwater.
Agriculture accounts for 69 percent of all water consumption, basically in agriculture economics like India. Agriculture, therefore, is the largest consumer of the earth’s available freshwater. By 2050, the global water demand for agriculture is estimated to increase by a further 19 percent due to irrigational needs. Expanding irrigation needs are likely to put undue pressure on the water shortage.
Water is the lifeblood of industry. It is used as a raw material coolant, a solvent, a transport agent, and as a source of energy. Manufacturing industries account for a considerable share of total industrial water consumption. Besides, papers and allied products, chemicals, and primary metals are major industrial uses of water. Worldwide, the industry accounts for 19 percent of total consumption. In industrialised countries, however, industries use more than half of the water available for human use.
Domestic use of water includes drinking, cleaning, personal hygiene, garden care, cooking, washing clothes, dishes, vehicles, etc. Since the end of World War II, there has been a trend of people moving out of the countryside to the ever-expanding cities. This trend has important implications for our water resources.
Governments and communities have to start building large water supply systems to deliver water to new populations and industries. Of all water consumption in the world, domestic use accounts for about 12 percent.
Electricity produced from water is hydropower. Hydropower is the leading renewable source of electricity in the world. Hydropower accounts for about 16 percent of the total electricity generation globally. There are many opportunities for hydropower development throughout the world. Nowadays, the leading hydropower-generating countries in the world are China, the USA, Brazil, Canada, India, and Russia.
Navigable waterways are defined as water courses that have been used for the transport of interstate and international trade and commerce. Agricultural and commercial goods are moved on a large scale in a number of regions around the world. Water is also used for recreational purposes, such as boating, swimming, and sporting activities. These uses affect the quality of water and pollute it. Priority should be given to public health and the drinking water quality of these sources of water.
Water scarcity has become a burning global issue. The United Nations has held several conventions on water in recent decades. Continuous overutilization of surface and ground water has led to virtual water scarcity all over the world today. The depleting sources of high human population growth over the centuries and increased man-induced water pollution across the world have created water scarcity around the globe. As a result, there has been continuous overutilization of the existing water sources due to the increasing growth of the world population.
Groundwater is the major source of water in many parts of the world. However, there has been a continuous depletion of these sources due to their overexploitation by the rising human population and the rapid rise in industrialization and urbanisation in modern times.
Water scarcity has now become an important topic globally. Nearly three billion people in the world suffer from water scarcity. International, interstate, and regional disputes over waters are not new to the world. Inter-state issues, such as the Cauvery water dispute in South India, are still causing periodic tension at the national and regional level.
Scientists, environmentalists, and biologists worldwide now accept that climate change can have an impact on drainage patterns and the hydrological cycle of the earth by affecting surface and groundwater availability. Frequent floods and droughts are mostly due to climate change and global warming. Various environmental organisations the world over are of the view that climate change is a long-term change in weather patterns and the distribution of extreme weather events.
Water is a renewable resource through the hydrological cycle, whereby water from the ocean moves on to the land and back again. Sometimes, human intervention in the form of dams, canals, and pipelines diverts natural water resources to meet the local needs of the people. As the need for water grows, tension over water resources is likely to increase. Conservation measures and smarter technologies may help ensure a more equitable distribution of water around the globe.
Equitable and efficient use of water resources is the key to sustainable population growth in a country. The population growth of any country is ultimately dependent on that country’s access to freshwater resources, which also determine its capacity to produce food. A new study shows that population growth is expected to decline in countries with low water resources as water-rich countries reduce food exports in order to feed their own growing population.
The world’s population is growing rapidly, and it is expected to reach nine billion by 2050. Global fresh water supplies are coming under increasing pressure, and more frequent extreme weather events, including droughts and floods, make it increasingly difficult for water-stressed nations to manage their water resources. Water scarcity could have a major impact on the world’s ability to feed its growing population.
The growing population and increasing water use are making freshwater scarce and polluted, posing a major threat to water resources in India. A new water revolution is needed to preserve, harness, develop, and manage water resources, keeping in view both their quantity and quality. Water must meet the needs of the present population and those of future generations.
Water conservation is the careful use and preservation of water supplies. It includes both the quality and quantity of water utilized. Water is an essential asset for the nourishment of all life on earth. The fundamental demands for all activities are appropriate, from local use to agricultural industry. Since each of us depends on water to sustain life, it is our responsibility to learn more about water conservation and how we can help keep our sources pure and safe for generations to come. It is up to each and every one of us to conserve water for sustainable development.