007: Art Imitates Life

In "Quantum of Solace," 2008's contribution to the James Bond franchise, the principal villain, one Dominic Greene, seeks to help a corrupt dictator stage a coup in Bolivia in exchange for what appears to be a worthless piece of scrub desert in a remote corner of the Andean country, devoid of oil or precious minerals.  

The movie pans to a scene where Bolivian villagers crowd around a cistern that has run dry, the last few drops falling listlessly from the spigot.  For years, Greene's corporation had been secretly shutting off water supplies and storing them under the desert.  In fact, Greene's nefarious plan is revealed in a scene when Greene forces the would-be Bolivian dictatorto sign over the rights to take over operations of the water utilities in the country.    Stage a coup in exchange for being water commissioner?  

Sound familiar? 

It should.  During the late 1990s, as a condition for continued loans, the World Bank insisted that Bolivia privatize its water services.  In 1999, the state-run water utility in Cochabamba, Bolivia's third-largest city was  privatized by a consortium led by several international partners including the US-based Bechtel Corporation.   Although ambitious in its plan to expand water coverage in the Cochabamba area, the consortium raised rates by over 30% which made payment untenable for many of the poor water consumers in Cochabamba.  Residents took to the streets to protest the rate hikes and the threats by the consortium to shut off water to any resident who could not pay.  A general strike was called and violent protests errupted with many arrests, several killed and a state of emergency called. 

The consortium pulled out of Bolivia after several months of turmoil and subsequently Becthtel took legal action before the World Bank's ICSID against the Government of Bolivia to recover its lost investments. 

Israel offers to pass along desalinated water to Jordan

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1225910086247&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

In an example of how water scarcity can compel cooperation between rival states competing over scarce resources, the Jerusalem Post is reporting that Israel has offered to supply desalinated water from the Mediterranean Sea to Jordan (the world's 10th water-poorest country).

International Crisis Group recently released a report on Climate Change and Conflict which read in part:

"Importantly, climate and environmental stress may also play a role in producing collaboration instead of violence. Water is an important example. Historically, water scarcity has often – though certainly not always – worked to favour cooperation between states. Interstate dialogue prompted by diminished water supplies, particularly, can build trust, institutionalise cooperation on a broader range of issues and create common regional identities."
see: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4932

UNESCO publishes map of trans-boundary aquifers

UNESCO has published a map of trans-boundary aquifers which highlights the potential for international conflict. 273 trans-boundary aquifers have been identified: 68 in the Americas, 38 in Africa, 155 in Europe and 12 in Asia. Currently, international legal regimes such as treaties or regional agreements largely govern surface waters.

Here's an article about the map from New Scientist:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn15030

There's a link to the map on this page.

South Africa braces for water crisis

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-11-06-worlds-water-dries-up

Each American consumes 6 800 litres a day, compared to 2 500 litres in South Africa.

Heavy past investment in water infrastructure, such as dams, had saved South Africa from having to tackle water scarcity. Climate change, however, will prevent dams from filling up.

Other factoids:

l Meat, milk, leather and other livestock products account for 23% of global water use in agriculture. The industry uses up to 1 150 litres of water per person per day.

l Wearing a cotton T-shirt today? It took 2 900 litres to produce it — and that’s before you’ve put it in the washing machine. About 3,7% of the world’s water used for crop cultivation goes on cotton.

l The average person uses 70g of sugar per day, equivalent to 100 litres of water. Cane sugar consumes 3,4% of the water used for crops worldwide.

l It takes 75 litres of water to produce a 250ml glass of beer — most of it used in growing the barley.

Protests over lack of drinking water in India

http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=8..031108.nov08

Protests may escalate over lac of drinking water available in Yumnam Leikai, Imphal, India.

Guardian UK: Is water the new oil?

A great summary of water scarcity issues including conflict, pricing, trade, to name a few.

Is water the new oil?It's the world's most precious commodity, yet many of us take it for granted. But that's all about to change

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/02/water

By Juliette Jowit

Global population, economic development and a growing appetite for meat, dairy and fish protein have raised human water demand sixfold in 50 years. Meanwhile, supplies have been diminished in several ways: an estimated 845,000 dams block most of the world's rivers, depriving downstream communities of water and sediment, and increasing evaporation; up to half of water is lost in leakage; another 1bn people simply have no proper infrastructure; and the water left is often polluted by chemicals and heavy metals from farms and industry, blamed by the UN for poisoning more than 100m people. And still the rains are getting less reliable in many areas.

Underlying these problems is a paradox. Because water, and the movement of water, is essential for life, and central to many religions, it is traditionally regarded as a 'common' good. But no individuals are responsible for it. From Wadi Esseir to the arid American Midwest, farmers either do not pay for water or pay a fraction of what homeowners pay, so they have less incentive to conserve it and might deprive suppliers of funds to improve infrastructure.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/02/water

Maryland village threatened with loss of its water

The tiny village of Rosemont, MD, is suffering from a problem that is plaguing many American towns and cities - crumbling and decaying water infrastructure. Its pipes - laid down by the Federal Government more than 70 years ago are dilapidated and need a three million dollar overhaul which the village (pop. 600) cannot afford. The neighboring city of Brunswick which supplies their water will not pay for repairs, nor will the county.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/world/bal-id.scenes02nov02,0,2177684.story?page=2

ADB funds Chinese Efforts to Create Framework for Water Management

http://finchannel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22723&Itemid=50

The Asian Development Bank will provide a half million dollar grant to China to help prepare a framework for managing the allocation of water resources. There is great disparity in water allocation in China now - with, for example, massive volumes of water being diverted to quench the Beijing Olympics to the detriment of surrounding provinces.

"China has 20% of the world’s population but just 7% of its fresh water. The north of the country accounts for 45% of total population and 65% of fertile land but only 19% of water resources. On the other hand, the south comprises 55% of total population and 35% of fertile land but 81% of water resources."

Intelligence Chief: Water shortages a source of instability that next president will have to confront

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/30/AR2008103004172.html

Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell in a speech last week cited competition for freshwater as a source of stability that will confront the next administration:

Meanwhile, population growth will create instability by increasing the strain on natural resources -- not only energy but also fresh water and food supplies, he said. At the same time, large swaths of the planet will struggle to find reliable supplies of fresh water, because of urbanization and climate change. By 2025, 1.4 billion people in 36 countries will face water shortages, McConnell said. The scarcity of basic necessities will "create significant tensions on the globe," he said.