13 Water Conflict

"From California to the Middle East, huge areas of the world are drying up and a billion people have no access to safe drinking water. US intelligence is warning of the dangers of shrinking resources and experts say the world is 'standing on a precipice'"

Water crises in the Middle East are helping "radicalize" the region, according to VICE. The inaccessibility of clean drinking water, water scarcity, drought, and food insecurity all combine to "make communities vulnerable-especially to extremist groups.

BAGHDAD: Iraqi officials voiced fears Wednesday that jihadis will use their seizure of a dam in Ramadi to mount fresh attacks on pro-government forces preparing to try to retake the city. A string of advances last month by ISIS cast doubt on the strategy of the U.S.-led coalition battling the jihadis, but Washington has insisted it is on the right track.

California's drought has produced a plot twist too singular even for Chinatown: farmers volunteering to give up a quarter of their water. Scores of farmers in the delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers made the unprecedented offer on Friday in a deal to stave off even steeper mandatory cuts.

"As water levels plummet to 45% in America's second-largest reservoir, new islands appear - and fears grow for a waterway that serves 40 million people"

"Critics of California's current water policy advocate more infrastructure spending on things like dams, canals, and desalination plants.  Many would also curtail water releases for the benefit of fish and other wildlife. Certainly, infrastructure spending would be better than wasting money on the governor's high-speed-train fantasy.  However, California cannot spend enough money on water infrastructure to prevent water shortages."

"Emergency regulations force some communities to cut water use by as much as 36% as devastating drought enters fourth year"

"Last week drought in São Paulo was so bad, residents tried drilling through basement floors for groundwater. As reservoirs dry up across the world, a billion people have no access to safe drinking water. Rationing and a battle to control supplies will follow"

"Water regulators in California voted on Tuesday to outlaw watering the lawn within 48 hours of a rainstorm, the latest effort to spur Californians to conserve as the state enters its fourth year of drought."

It's estimated that we use 9tn cubic metres of water every year. As the global population grows, it is becoming an increasingly precious resource, with millions forced to walk for more than a mile to collect their daily supply. We investigate the innovative technologies that will help tackle our water crisis in future.

Bill Gates sipping from a glass of water doesn't sound like riveting television. But add the subtitle: "This water was human waste five minutes earlier" and people will sit up and take notice.

The recent World Economic Forum Global Risks report identifies the 10 "biggest threats to the stability of the world" over the next 10 years. These are difficult times, and the catalogue of potential threats includes many that may seem familiar, including high unemployment, war and the spread of infectious disease.

Desalination plants are crucial installations in the Arabian Gulf, providing fresh water for millions in the region to use in their everyday lives. Vast quantities of seawater are sucked into the plants, which are energy intensive and environmentally destructive.

Severe drought and water shortages are causing blackouts and threatening a range of businesses in Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo, authorities have said. Rio de Janeiro state's government warned on Friday that the Rio region was experiencing its worst-ever water crisis, while low water levels in the Paraiba do Sul river affected Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo, which is suffering ts worst drought in nearly 100 years.

With the swelling ranks of Syrian refugees in Jordan, an overstressed river is at risk of going dry.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - In the hills to the east of Kuala Lumpur, the Klang River is clean enough for visitors to play in. But just a few hundred metres downstream, the water darkens and rubbish clogs the banks.

The U.S. Drought Monitor, which publishes its colorful drought map every Thursday, this week is expected to show a slight decline in the dark brown parts of California suffering the most acutely from a drought that has parched the state four years in a row.

"The parched Golden State is experiencing one of the most severe water crises in its history"