It is pretty much common knowledge that the growing water crisis in the Middle East destabilised the region and helped to spark civil wars in both Syria and Yemen, but those water shortages are now spreading to the United States, and this has American diplomats rather worried.
There have been reports leaked by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting that there have been secret conversations going on between American diplomats that show a rising concern by global business leaders as well as politicians that global water shortages could spark further unrest in various regions, which could end with dire consequences.
The bulk of freshwater in most regions comes from groundwater sourced from deeply buried aquifers, and without which there can be no for agricultural production, especially in arid regions which see very little rain. When wells run dry, farmers cannot grow produce, livestock goes thirsty and hungry, as do humans, and food prices soar.
South Africa is a prime example of this after the current drought caused crop failure; livestock either died or had be sold off cheaply, whole towns sat without water for weeks on end and both the public and government had to jump in and mount massive water deliveries to various areas. There were some deaths due to a lack of water and one farmer even committed suicide in desperation after all his crops failed – sadly just a day before his region got some respite.
Food prices have subsequently gone up quite a bit in the past few months with warnings that there are many more increases to come. This is a tragedy as it is the poor majority that will suffer the most with their basic diet consisting mainly of maize-meal and bread; meat is already a luxury that few can afford, and which most may not be able to afford once the meat price also goes up in the near future.
Those in the know predict that around one third of the world’s population will be affected by fresh water scarcity by 2025, and that the situation will become potentially catastrophic by 2050. Some of this is due to climate change and a growing global population, but some of it is due to absolute water of this most precious life-giving resource, so it is up to each one of us to save water wherever we can.
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