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Date
Could water be the new oil? We mean that in a “demand” type of way. If the answer is yes, then we have a very critical issue. I noticed in the Wall Street Journal the other day that Fidelity Investment had a two page ad suggesting that investing in water resources may be the way to go in the future. In other words, they are predicting that water could be the next traded commodity. Looking at it pragmatically, we can see that possibility. With an increasing population, strange happenings with the global climate like a change the weather patterns, urbanization, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, groundwater pollution, and all of the other sustainability issues, there is a good possibility that water may become scarce. The demand for water could exceed the supply, making those who control the water in the driver’s seat. That begs the question as to whom, if anyone should control the water.
We may not have much choice in the matter. Water is controlled today. When dry weather persists, municipalities place restrictions on its use. At least there is control on municipal water supplies. Even those with well water are at the mercy of contamination and periods of drought. They, too, will have to look to some collective source of water.
Ron Lauder, in a CNBC video, makes the point that only 1% of the world’s water is drinkable. He says that 97% is unusable, 1% each are in the arctic and Antarctic leaving 1% of drinkable water. The statistical collection website, Worldometers, says ““Almost 80% of diseases in so called "developing" countries are associated with water, causing some three million early deaths. For example, 5,000 children die every day from diarrhea, or one every 17 seconds.” You can clearly see the problem.
Not many countries remain unaffected. It is a particularly critical issue in the countries with the most populations, like India, Pakistan, Mexico, China, and the United States, especially in the mid-west, southwest, and western US. While oil rich, Saudi Arabia is water poor, and along with Yemen and Israel will face severe future shortages.
Who controls the water will be a critical issue in the future. The wisdom of making such a life-sustaining resource a commodity seems to be flawed. Whether or not a government, “Fanny Mae” type, agency should be controlling the water could be flawed, too. The scarcity of water will certainly be a serious issue and what we do about it will have to be carefully and thoughtfully approached.
Posted
by
Dave Shirley
on: March 06, 2012 10:04 AM |
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