WC133 NovDec 2023 - Magazine - Page 37
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Transboundary waters and socioeconomic challenges
Water stress is no longer just about the availability
of water. It’s about our consumption of water, and
Watershed boundaries don’t usually correspond with political
how that consumption is outstripping our supply.
boundaries—and this can lead to transboundary geopolitical
stresses, especially as cities grow and develop more areas of the
watersheds.
For example, pretend that I’m living in Country A, and we’re
downstream in a watershed. The upper portions of the watershed
are in Country B. The actions of Country B can severely affect
the availability of water for the downstream country.
Climate change can play a big role in geopolitical issues, too.
As climate change alters rainfall patterns, it could mean that
there’s less water available to either country.
The upstream country will need to hold onto
their water more than ever before, and that’ll
have an impact on people downstream.
Urbanization has created a challenge for water availability. As cities
And because climate change has affected
the predictability of water availability, coungrow globally, there are hundreds of cities that don’t have enough
tries may set up infrastructure, like a dam or
water infrastructure—let alone water—to support that growth.
levy system, to contain the water that they’ll
need to compensate for uncertainties. This
could lead to geopolitical problems.
Consider what’s currently happening with
the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and
its influence on the Nile River. As climate change has affected
the amount of water available in the Nile valley, Ethiopia has
responded to uncertainty by building Africa’s largest dam. But
this may lead to issues for the countries downstream—Egypt and
Sudan—because now there’s less water available. A city like Cairo
has relied on this water source for millennia. How will this dam
affect the relationship between countries in this region?
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
WATER C AN ADA • NOV EMBER/ DECEMBER 2023
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