Debate on Water Scarcity
Answers
Water scarcity, related to either overextraction of groundwater reserves or pollution of existing surface water resources, promises only to increase as a problem. Currently, agriculture accounts for over 70% of water use. In most countries, production-linked support policies still dominate. This framework encourages overuse and inefficiency and fails to address the environmental damage that results from polluted runoff. As populations increase, competition between uses of water and regulation of wastewater will develop into significant policy concerns. Already, India and China have been faced on numerous occasions with the decisions between providing for water-heavy crops or population settlements. Judicial policy to address multicountry ownership of surface and groundwater resources needs to become a priority before water becomes like oil as a commodity. Improved pricing structures, tradable permits, enforceable government regulations, and more sustainable agricultural water management are necessary to address the crisis of water scarcity. Such initiatives also need to take place on local as well as national levels.