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Monday, August 27th, 2012

Risk of Water Wars Rises With Scarcity

Author:     CHRIS ARSENAULT
Source:     Aljazeera (Qatar)
Publication Date:     8/26/2012 9:47
 Link: Risk of Water Wars Rises With Scarcity
Stephan:   If you have been reading SR for a while you know my view that water is destiny. Here is a new assessment of where that stands. It holds very negative implications for much of the world, and the U.S. is not immune. Already major corporate interests from Big Agra, to Frackers, are jockeying to get control over water. As I have said many times, there are going to be two major internal migrations in the U.S.: Away from the coasts, because of rising sea levels, and out of the American Southwest because of rising temperatures, and lack of water. In my view cities such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson, are doomed in their present configuration. If you own real estate there I would begin planning your exit out of that market which, I believe, over the next 15 years will completely collapse. Water is destiny.

The author Mark Twain once remarked that ‘whisky is for drinking; water is for fighting over’ and a series of reports from intelligence agencies and research groups indicate the prospect of a water war is becoming increasingly likely.

In March, a report from the office of the US Director of National Intelligence said the risk of conflict would grow as water demand is set to outstrip sustainable current supplies by 40 per cent by 2030.

‘These threats are real and they do raise serious national security concerns,’ Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said after the report’s release.

Internationally, 780 million people lack access to safe drinking water, according to the United Nations. By 2030, 47 per cent of the world’s population will be living in areas of high water stress, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Environmental Outlook to 2030 report.

Some analysts worry that wars of the future will be fought over blue gold, as thirsty people, opportunistic politicians and powerful corporations battle for dwindling resources.

Dangerous warnings

Governments and military planners around the world are aware of the impending problem; with the US senate issuing reports with names like Avoiding Water Wars: Water Scarcity and Central Asia’s […]

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