4.2_Access_to_freshwater__IB-ESS__23-24

Access to Freshwater

Objectives

• Learn the distribution of freshwater resources: Understand the geographical disparities and the implications of uneven freshwater supplies across different regions.

• Suggest sustainability strategies: Explore comprehensive strategies that can effectively address the growing global demand for freshwater while ensuring environmental preservation.

Overview of Sections

• Section 01: Solutions

• Section 02: Activities

• Section 03: Significant Ideas, Data, Applications, and Skills

Significant Ideas

• Inequitable Distribution: Freshwater resources are not distributed evenly across the globe, with regions like North America and Europe benefitting from abundant resources, whereas areas such as sub-Saharan Africa face severe shortages. This disparity can lead to potential conflicts over water rights and security, emphasizing the need for collaborative management.

• Sustainable Management: Various innovative and traditional approaches can be employed to sustainably manage freshwater resources. These include community-based water management, legal frameworks for shared resources, and investment in water efficiency technologies to ensure that future generations have access to clean water.

Applications and Skills

• Evaluate Strategies: Critically assess various strategies designed to address the increasing demand for freshwater, considering economic, social, and environmental implications in diverse geographic contexts.

• Discuss Case Studies: Analyze international case studies involving shared freshwater resources that have led to conflicts, highlighting lessons learned and potential dispute resolution strategies.

Data Insights

Global Water Crisis:

• Access to Clean Drinking Water: Approximately 1.1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, which is a basic human right.

• Sanitation Issues: About 2.6 billion individuals do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities (UNICEF/WHO).

• Health Impact: Diarrheal diseases, often stemming from unsafe water sources, cause an estimated 1.8 million deaths annually, with 3,900 children perishing daily due to waterborne diseases (WHO).

Water Usage:

• Per Capita Water Use: Daily water use varies significantly across continents:

  • North America and Japan: 350 liters per person.

  • Europe: 200 liters per person.

  • Sub-Saharan Africa: 20 liters or less per person, indicating extreme water scarcity.

Shared Water Basins:

• Transboundary Rivers: Over 260 river basins are shared internationally; many of these lack effective legal frameworks for equitable distribution, which can escalate tensions between countries.

Water Footprint for Food:

• Water Footprint: The amount of water needed to produce various foods:

  • 1 kg of wheat: Requires approximately 1,000 liters.

  • 1 kg of rice: Requires about 1,400 liters.

  • 1 kg of beef: Requires a staggering 13,000 liters, raising concerns about the sustainability of meat production given limited freshwater resources.

Water Uses

• Domestic: Includes activities such as drinking, washing, hygiene, and cleaning, crucial for public health.

• Agricultural: Involves irrigation for crops and water for livestock, which is essential for food security.

• Industrial: Used in manufacturing processes, mining operations, and various other industries, illustrating the economic dependence on water.

• Hydroelectric: Essential for energy generation through water dams, contributing significantly to renewable energy supply.

• Transportation: Rivers and seas serve as critical routes for boats and trade, impacting economic activities.

• Territorial Borders: Water bodies often demarcate natural boundaries, complicating resource management and governance.

Water Sources

• Freshwater Sources: Key sources include rivers, streams, lakes, and aquifers, each playing vital roles in the ecosystem.

• Aquifer Definition: Aquifers are precious groundwater resources formed by porous layers of rock that can store and transmit water, significantly impacting water availability.

Water Issues

Water Scarcity:

• Definition: Water scarcity refers not only to insufficient water supply but also to the efficiency of water use and management.

• Types of Scarcity: Differentiates between physical water scarcity (insufficient water availability) and economic water scarcity (limited access due to infrastructure issues).

Growing Water Challenges

• Water Pollution: Complexities surrounding responsibility for pollution in transboundary rivers raise significant governance challenges.

• Climate Change: Alters rainfall patterns and disrupts river flows, exacerbating water access issues.

• Overexploitation of Aquifers: The extraction of groundwater often outpaces natural replenishment rates, unsustainably depleting vital resources.

• Chemical Contamination: Runoff from agricultural fertilizers and pesticides greatly impacts freshwater quality, leading to health risks and ecosystem damage.

• Salinization from Irrigation: Poor irrigation practices contribute to soil salinity, diminishing agricultural productivity.

• Population Growth: An increasing global population intensifies competition for limited freshwater resources, escalating demands on management systems.

Problems with Water Use

• Colorado River: The intersection of climate change and water management is evident here, as reduced snowmelt impacts river flow availability.

• Mexico City: Significant groundwater depletion due to over-extraction from aquifers results in dangerous ground subsidence, affecting infrastructure and safety.

• Argentina: The mismanagement of irrigation leads to soil salinization, rendering large agricultural areas unproductive due to evaporation and salinity issues.

Solutions to Water Issues

• Increase Freshwater Sources: Explore innovative strategies like water redistribution, desalination technologies, and comprehensive rainwater harvesting systems.

• Water Efficiency: Encourage domestic systems designed for efficiency to maximize water use reduction through advanced technologies and public awareness campaigns.

• Gray Water Recycling: Advocate for the repurposing of water from washing machines and sinks for irrigation or toilet flushing to conserve fresh water.

• Irrigation Improvements: Employ advanced irrigation techniques, such as drip systems, and the use of drought-resistant crops to minimize water consumption in agriculture.

• Reduce Agrochemical Use: Reduce reliance on harmful chemicals by implementing organic farming practices and encouraging the development of industrial water treatment plants.

Conclusion

Significant Takeaways

• Essential Nature of Freshwater: Freshwater is a fundamental resource necessary for survival, health, and economic activities but is inequitably distributed, warranting comprehensive management efforts.

• Importance of Strategic Understanding: A deeper comprehension of freshwater management strategies and their applications is essential for fostering sustainable practices and ensuring water security for future generations.