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Water War

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Water Wars
There can be no life on Earth without water. It is indispensable for human health and well-being, for food production, and economic activities. But despite its importance, water is rarely considered as a resource in the same way as others, for example oil. Water covers more than two thirds of our planet, so to many it may seem like there is more than enough, and in most parts of the world its availability is taken for granted. However, freshwater, what we drink, bath in, and irrigate our land with, is extremely scarce. Only around 3% of the world’s water is fresh water, and about two-thirds of that is contained by glaciers, rendering it not readily available for human use. Agriculture uses more water than any other source and wastes much of it due to inefficiencies. Today more than a billion people around the globe lack access to fresh water and many of the world’s water systems have become stressed. In addition, rivers, lakes, and aquifers are becoming too polluted to use, climate change is altering weather patterns, resulting in shortages, droughts and floods. The world’s population is rapidly increasing, and at the current consumption rate the situation will only get worse. So without improved and more effective management, the availability of fresh water will more than likely not keep up with demand. It is estimated that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. Issues related to water scarcity can obstruct the ability of nations to produce food and energy; posing risk to economic growth as well.
Many parts of human history is caught up in the struggle for water. Nations and non-state actors fight for access to water, use water as a tool and weapon, and target the water facilities of enemies. (example, ISIL) While water resources have rarely been the source of conflict, fresh-water resources are becoming extremely

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