Five Approaches to Water Scarcity

Abstract

Shrinking and deteriorating fresh water reserves, increased flooding and droughts, and rising water budgets that are hardly affordable — all are clear signals of a water crisis facing humanity in different parts of the globe, embracing both developed and developing countries. These facts suggest that the growing problems in the water domain need to be better understood if they are to be solved. The literature on this issue reflects a realisation of this need. The UN has long been stimulating research into the water crisis, and, according to Falkenmark’s assessment (1990: 188), 20 UN bodies are now involved with water issues. In addition, many academic institutions, centres, corporations, consulting firms, foundations, national and international agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), non-profit and private organisations have also recently become interested in hydropolitics and water-related issues. As a result, there are scores of published studies, as well as a burgeoning literature on water issues available on the Internet.¹