It includes situations where water is in short what would your life be like without an important resource, a resource so crucially important to sustain life. Their underlying strategic dissonance and rivalry, however, usually attracts less notice. Throughout the millennia, human beings have existed in a delicate balance with water, beset sometimes by drought, sometimes by flood. The pacific institute, which studies issues of water and global security, found a fourfold increase in violent confrontations over water over the last decade.
This is the kind of change, along with shift in mindset on water use and rights is necessary in order to avoid future conflict. Buried deep within the earth, groundwater is a largely hidden resource but one that supplies 25 to 40 percent of global drinking water. Just as wars over oil played a major role in 20th century history, a new book makes a convincing case that many 21st century conflicts will be fought over water. The author addresses many global water problems in a well researched and highly readable form. Sustainable communityled water management has existed for thousands of years without anyone putting a price on water, singh said in this article from quartz. Water, on the other hand, is one of our most precious resources, and already faces serious shortages the water wars is so effective because it paints a stark, horrifying picture of what very well could be earths future. The water wars is the kind of book i keep thinking about long after ive finished reading because its based on a realistic scenario. Based on the groundbreaking book by maude barlow and tony clarke, executive produced. Water, peace, and war confronting the global water crisis. The right to water is indispensable for leading a healthy life in human dignity. For more what in the world, watch gps on sundays at 10 a. World water wars tells the story of a time, just like ours, when the wars of the world are fought over water. Jan 03, 2010 just as wars over oil played a major role in 20th century history, a new book makes a convincing case that many 21st century conflicts will be fought over water. Drought, flood, folly, and the politics of thirst, diane ward observes that today 1.
Drought, flood, folly, and the politics of thirst ward, diane raines on. Water wars are global, some subtle and intentionally subdued, but billions of people seek sustenance from water against corporate forces eager to own water rights and commons. Mar 22, 20 this article was originally posted last month. And i agree that the role of filmmakers is more important than ever. The world bank and the international monetary fund imf are financial giants aligned with corporate interests looking to influence and privatize water commons. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of our dwindling supply, prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions. Water wars the use of evidence life springs up around water sources.
Based on the groundbreaking book, this pbs documentary explores the politics and conflicts surrounding the commodification and power. In this struggle, a special team has been formed with agents from all over the world to try to bring peace to the world. As its power grows, china seems determined to choke off asian competitors, a tendency. Water, wars and the blue peace solution mintpress water scarcity threatens economic and social gains and it is a potent fuel for wars and conflict, united nations u. Global warming is an issue of how we live, the water crisis is an issue of if we live. It is a prerequisite to the realisation of all other human rights. Often, the water that they collect is contaminated with germs that can cause very serious illnesses or even death. The global water crisis and the commodification of the worlds water supply revised edition spring, 2001 author.
It is no coincidence that some of the greatest civilizations have been build need fertile bodies of water. Water wars by vandana shiva is a book about the struggle for water around the world. The singapore based headquarters, which is located underneath the singapore river is headed by its management known informally as the trinity. Will the next world war be fought over fresh water. Based on the groundbreaking book, this pbs documentary explores the politics and conflicts surrounding the commodification and. As much as oil shaped the global geopolitics of the 20th century, water has the power to reorder international relations in the current century. Water is essential to life, yet humankinds relationship with water is complex. Scarcity of water may lead to water wars among waterstressed nations. Underground water is being pumped so aggressively around the globe that land is sinking, civil wars are being waged, and agriculture is being transformed. Wendy barnaby was asked to write a book about water wars then the facts got in the way of her story. Many people have to walk for hours just to collect enough water for the day. Jan 25, 2011 water, on the other hand, is one of our most precious resources, and already faces serious shortages the water wars is so effective because it paints a stark, horrifying picture of what very well could be earths future.
Today 1 billion people live without clean drinking water. Imagine a large body of water about the size of the dead sea simply disappearing. In 1995, ismail seragaldin, vice president of the world bank 19932000, first raised the specter of crisis with the claim that the wars of the next century will be fought over water. The united nations committee on economic, cultural and social rights, 2002. Oxford university press, ymca library building, 1 jai singh road, new delhi11. World water wars i choose to watch the documentary by sam bozo blue gold. Feb 08, 2014 the pacific institute, which studies issues of water and global security, found a fourfold increase in violent confrontations over water over the last decade.
The united nations warned as recently as last week that climate change harbours the potential for serious conflicts over water. Feb 05, 2018 f uture global water wars are now widely predicted. The dvd was recommended to me by a patron at the library where i work. Given the dire projections of water availability as climate change progresses, nightmare scenarios of water wars that could spark nuclear exchanges are now becoming possible. Global water war threat by 2030 us intelligence rt.
Privatization, pollution and profit, vandana shiva, the worlds most prominent radical scientist shines a light on. Mar 22, 2012 the office of the director of national intelligence odni, the organization that oversees us intelligence agencies such as the cia and fbi, was commissioned by president barack obama to examine the impact of water scarcity worldwide on us security. The apocalyptic world that cameron stracher invented was lacking in solidityit had no real background all were told is that there was a war, with undertones of global warming and poor care of the environment. As much as oil shaped the global geopolitics of the 20th century, water has the power to reorder international relations in. The water wars of the twentyfirst century may match or even surpass the oil wars of the twentieth. The fight to stop the corporate theft of the worlds water by maude. Water, wars and the blue peace solution mintpress news. The film was first screened on october 9, 2008, at the vancouver international. Ismail serageldin, vicepresident of the world bank. Peak water and water wars water is fundamental for life and health.
The good water neighbors project, established in 2001, has brought together israeli, jordanian, and palestinian communities to protect shared water resources and has significantly improved the local water sector and helped to build peace at the local level. However, there is one critical aspect to this story which was not mentioned and a clue to this contradiction is in the article. But water shortages are fast becoming a persistent reality for all nations, rich and poor. Water effects everything including education, health and poverty. And even though it deals with environmental issues and greed, it never felt preachy. In water wars, shiva uses her remarkable knowledge of science and society to outline the emergence of corporate culture and. Therefore, there is a need for development of democratic principles among nations to assure free access to. F uture global water wars are now widely predicted. The water wars is filled with nonstop action and it moves along at a breathless pace.
This will not only stop unsettling and incorrect predictions of international. Denying poor people access to water by privatizing water distribution or polluting wells and. Vandana shiva using the global water trade as a lens, the author exposes the destruction of the earth and the disenfranchisement of the worlds poor as they lose their right to a lifesustaining common good. Maude barlow national chairperson, council of canadians chair, ifg committee on the globalization of water the wars of the next century will be about water. Into the future of water in the west explores the water emergency with remarkable calm. The fight to stop the corporate theft of the worlds water by maude barlow and tony clark. Directed by sam bozzo and released in 2008, the film was inspired by the book blue gold. Th e global water crisis is of such a magnitude that it is growing into an issue of common global concern. The fight to stop the corporate theft of the worlds water by maude barlow and tony clarke. Oxford university press, ymca library building, 1 jai singh. This is the kind of change, along with shift in mindset on water use and rights is necessary in order to avoid future conflict or all out war over water. Documentary that examines the environmental and political implications of the decrease in water supply on the planet, and postulates that the wars of the future will be waged on water.
Privatization, pollution and profit, acclaimed author vandana shiva sheds light on the activists who are fighting corporate manoeuvres to convert this lifesustaining resource into more gold for the elites. Wars of the future will be fought over water as they are over oil today, as the source of human survival enters the global marketplace and political arena. Water wars a s china and india gain economic heft, they are drawing ever more international attention at the time of an ongoing global shift of power to asia. The film examines the problems created by the privatization and commoditization of water. By global public square staff imagine a large body of water about the size of the dead sea simply disappearing.
In its world water development report 1 of march 2009, it. I really enjoyed the film, world water wars, and this article its great to hear the documentary filmmakers perspective. And while the prospect of water wars has been touted for decades, it may start to become reality within a decade. The fight to stop the corporate theft of the worlds water by maude barlow an amazing and inspiring woman and tony clarke.
While the water wars has a unique dystopian concept, i felt it was poorly executed. Book or no book, it is still important that the popular myth of water wars somehow be dispelled once and for all. With demand outstripping supply, a global water crisis is imminent. Denying poor people access to water by privatizing water distribution or polluting wells and rivers is also terrorism. Apr 25, 2015 water, peace, and war confronting the global water crisis. Growing global demand for water is already creating tensions among communities, between farmers and city. With global warming, the world will be different, but we will still. Privatization, pollution, and profit by vandana shiva. For millennia, we have perceived it as abundant and easily accessible. Revealing how many of the most important conflicts of our time, most often camouflaged as ethnic wars or religious wars, are in fact conflicts over scarce but vital natural resources, she calls for a movement to preserve water access for all and offers a blueprint for global resistance based on examples of successful campaigns. With jim olson, tony clarke, maude barlow, octavio rosas lando. Mar 18, 2009 book or no book, it is still important that the popular myth of water wars somehow be dispelled once and for all. In this movie author presents the problem with privatization of water, the corruption affiliated with water companies and the problems that arise around the world because of water scarcity. While draught and desertification are intensifying around the world, corporations are aggressively converting freeflowing water into bottled profits.
It would be a great book for parents and teens to read together and discuss. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the. Sep 02, 2016 sustainable communityled water management has existed for thousands of years without anyone putting a price on water, singh said in this article from quartz. Into the future of water in the west explores the water emergency with remarkable calm and evenhandedness. This award winning documentary directed by sam bozzo is based on the book blue gold. Given the embers finding of a link between war and fear, i worry about the warnings of antiwar liberals such as hedges that climate change will trigger wars over water and food. Global water wars and the public good public books. Jul 14, 2016 underground water is being pumped so aggressively around the globe that land is sinking, civil wars are being waged, and agriculture is being transformed.