Water wars are global, some subtle and intentionally subdued, but billions of people seek sustenance from water against corporate forces eager to own water rights and commons. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are financial giants aligned with corporate interests looking to influence and privatize water commons.
Agriculture is defined as a legacy that began in Syria and endured for 12,000 years. The recent severe drought was aggravated by industrial agricultural farming reflected in 80% crop failures and 75% livestock losses. A mass migration of a million-plus farmers and herders preceded 9 million other Syrians leaving their homes since the civil war outbreak in March, 2011. Water wars now has a new identity dominated by violence against the earth, against water, abetted by new terrorism and extremism.
Between 2002 and 2008 more than 26 cubic miles of water has disappeared in North India from aquifers, mostly from Green Revolution-style farming. In the 1970's the World Bank provided massive loans to India for groundwater mining.
In Nigeria Boko Haram is seen as a religious extremist movement but the depletion of Lake Chad, once an inland sea that covered 10,000 square kilometers (1983), shrinking to 1,500 by the year 2000, deprived farmers, fishermen and others of employment. They have been supplanted by terrorism and extremism.
Deforestation and mining combine with Green Revolution technologies and greed to produce water famine. When water disappears dehydration and death follow; women must travel further in their searches; for peasants water scarcity can mean destitution.
The World Bank oversaw the privatization of groundwater with subsidized withdrawal systems followed by heavy sugarcane cultivation as it consumed 80% of all irrigation water and eight times more water than other crops. Wells owned by small farmers all ran dry.
But there's more. A once water abundant region, the Malwa plateau, became dependent on tube wells; they are now dry.
In Belawati tube wells (500) replaced traditional systems and only five are now functioning. In Guriaya village 100 tube wells were built but only 10 have water. In Ismailkhada 1000 tube wells dried up the 12 ponds that served the community for centuries. In the 1930's wells provided 78% of the region's irrigation. In 1985 the government and the World Bank designed an $18 million water project followed by another $28 million both resulting in a depletion of water resources.
During British rule the government took control of water rights by state intervention. Revenues were diverted to departments of bureaucrats followed then with the "right to pollute" judicial decisions. Modern technologies require a lot of water for processing. One silicon wafer uses 2,275 gallons of water... and 285 kilowatt hours of electrical power. Producing 2,000 wafers per week equals 4,550,000 gallons of water.
Global warming, or climate change, has a plethora of believers, skeptics, and "I dunno's". Rising sea levels are the predicted result of melting ice caps and warmer ocean waters.
Some say the water war began in 1924 when a clandestine agreement to transfer water to Los Angeles from Owens Valley resulted in intense conflict with the might of the army stationed behind public and private investors.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank are major forces in the creation of corporate-states globally. A major player in the market is Monsanto whose investment in aquaculture is described by author Vandana Shiva as "highly unsustainable". Many privatization efforts result in reduced efficiency and attendant rising prices. Casablanca consumers saw water prices increase threefold ; in Britain, a 67% rise ; in south Africa water became unsafe, unaffordable and cholera infections were rampant.
General Electric and the World Bank are collaborating to privatize water and power worldwide. The endgame is to eliminate individual and community sovereignty.
Yes, the crucible of corruption, power and greed seems in step to crush any attempts at returning control of rights to millennia-old beneficiaries.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Frequently bought together
This item: Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit
$6.49
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
+
$13.63
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 1
In Stock
+
$14.60
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 1
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2017
- Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2002
- Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2007
Top reviews from other countries
- Anne ED MacDonaldReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2013
Very informative
