Demand for many resources already exceeds what the planet can supply. A rapidly growing global population and rising incomes in many parts of the world means more people, consuming more resources: Food, water, and energy, as well as goods and services. Already we are well past the point where the Earth can replenish the resources we consume and if current consumption trends continue, by the mid-2030s analysts suggest the world’s population will demand twice as many resources as the planet can supply – risking disasters and conflicts as people and nations compete for ever scarcer resources. Water is now being referred to as the “new oil.” Increased per capita use in rapidly developing economies (RDEs) and greater scarcity of freshwater worldwide, exacerbated by pollution and climate change, means individuals and businesses will need to reassess the value of what has been to date a “free” resource. There will likely be increased geopolitical tensions over control of water supplies, given that well over half the world’s countries share critical water resources with other nations. In this briefing we explore the challenges around increasing water scarcity as well as some innovative ways that these are being tackled.

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1
GT
BRIEFING
FEBRUARY
2015:
THE
WATER
CHALLENGE
www.globaltrends.com

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2
“Access
to
safe
water
is
a
fundamental
human
need
and
therefore
a
basic
human
right.”
Kofi
Annan,
Former
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
“The
challenge
of
securing
safe
and
plenLful
water
for
all
is
one
of
the
most
daunLng
challenges
faced
by
the
world
today
”
Ban
Ki-­‐Moon,
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General

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3
“Access
to
safe
water
is
a
fundamental
human
need
and
therefore
a
basic
human
right.”
Kofi
Annan,
Former
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
“The
challenge
of
securing
safe
and
plenLful
water
for
all
is
one
of
the
most
daunLng
challenges
faced
by
the
world
today
”
Ban
Ki-­‐Moon,
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
(Source:
NaEonal
Intelligence
Council,
Special
Reports,
Global
Water
Security,
February
2012
hQp://www.dni.gov/nic/Global%20Water%20Security%20Map.pdf)

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4
“Access
to
safe
water
is
a
fundamental
human
need
and
therefore
a
basic
human
right.”
Kofi
Annan,
Former
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
Photo
credit:
hQp://www.examiner.com/arEcle/culprits-­‐
or-­‐vicEms-­‐of-­‐polluted-­‐waterways
Photo
credit:
hQp://www.socialphy.com/
posts/off-­‐topic/1097/Clam-­‐Cleanup.html
OF
INDUSTRIAL
WASTE
IS
DUMPED
INTO
WATER
BODIES
WHERE
IT
POLLUTES
THE
USABLE
WATER
SUPPLY
OF
THE
TOTAL
AREA
OF
BANGLADESH
HAS
ARSENIC
CONTAMINATED
GROUNDWATER

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5
“Access
to
safe
water
is
a
fundamental
human
need
and
therefore
a
basic
human
right.”
Kofi
Annan,
Former
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
Mexico
2014:
In
a
village
in
Mexico
a
confrontaEon
over
a
water
spring
leaves
more
than
100
police
injured
and
five
people
arrested.
And
it’s
just
the
latest
in
a
series
of
clashes.
Local
governments
say
they
are
trying
to
extend
municipal
supply
to
the
area;
residents
are
afraid
the
objecEve
is
to
take
control
over
a
local
water
source.
(Source:
Pacific
Insitute)
Iraq/Syria
2014
Fighters
with
the
Islamic
State
in
Iraq
and
Syria
(ISIS)
are
advancing
on
the
Haditha
Dam
raising
the
possibility
of
catastrophic
damage
and
flooding.
The
ISIS
militants
are
fighEng
for
control
of
the
Euphrates
River
Dam
and
government
forces
were
fighEng
to
halt
their
advance.
(Source:
Pacific
Insitute)
Photo
credit:
hQp://pacinst.org/issues/water-­‐and-­‐conflict/
conflicts-­‐over-­‐water/

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6
WATER
AND
SANITATION
CLAIMS
MORE
LIVES
THROUGH
DISEASE
THAN
ANY
WAR
CLAIMS
THROUGH
GUNS.
PEOPLE
DO
NOT
HAVE
ACCESS
TO
CLEAN
WATER
PEOPLE
DO
NOT
HAVE
ACCESS
TO
ADEQUATE
SANITATION
PEOPLE
DIE
ANNUALLY
FROM
THE
CONSEQUENCES
OF
DISASTERS
AND
WATER-­‐RELATED
DISEASES
Photo
credit:
hQp://blogs.redcross.org.uk/tag/hygiene/

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7
“Access
to
safe
water
is
a
fundamental
human
need
and
therefore
a
basic
human
right.”
Kofi
Annan,
Former
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
“The
challenge
of
securing
safe
and
plenLful
water
for
all
is
one
of
the
most
daunLng
challenges
faced
by
the
world
today
”
Ban
Ki-­‐Moon,
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
Source:
Veolia
Water

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8
“The
challenge
of
securing
safe
and
plenLful
water
for
all
is
one
of
the
most
daunLng
challenges
faced
by
the
world
today
”
Ban
Ki-­‐Moon,
United
NaEons
Secretary-­‐General
POPULATIONS
OF
FRESHWATER
SPECIES
DECLINED
MORE
RAPIDLY
THAN
MARINE
(39
%)
AND
TERRESTRIAL
(39%)
POPULATIONS
OF
GARBAGE,
MOSTLY
PLASTIC,
IS
DUMPED
INTO
THE
OCEAN
EVERY
YEAR
KILLING
MARINE
LIFE
AND
POLLUTING
OCEANS
Photo
credit:
hQp://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/plasEc-­‐
rubbish-­‐wildlife.html#cr
Photo
credit:
hQp://www.motherjones.com/
environment/2009/05/where-­‐plasEcs-­‐go-­‐kill
(Sources:
Living
Planet
Report
2014,
Conserve
Energy
Future)

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9
THINK
• DesalinaEon
technologies
• Waste
water
treatment
• Waterless
toilets
and
washing
machines
• Zero-­‐water
manufacturing
• SmartWater
technologies
• RegulaEons
• Partnerships
• Awareness
campaigns
For
specific
examples
read
our
full
briefing
The
Water
Challenge

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10
How
will
the
future
of
water
impact
your
organizaLon
and
industry?
Read
the
full
briefing:
The
Water
Challenge
on
hbp://
www.globaltrends.com/monthly-­‐briefings/60-­‐monthly-­‐briefings/
218-­‐gt-­‐briefing-­‐february-­‐2015-­‐the-­‐water-­‐challenge
In
March,
look
out
for
trends
in
acLon
on
Upstarts:
Driving
the
entrepreneurial
economy

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11
This
presentaLon
is
adapted
from
the
GT
Briefing
February
2015:
The
Water
Challenge
Electronic
copies
of
the
briefing
and
of
our
The
Global
Trends
Fieldbook:
From
Data
to
Insights
to
AcLon
are
available
on
www.globaltrends.com,
and
printed
copies
of
The
Global
Trends
Fieldbook
and
The
Global
Trends
Report
can
be
purchased
on
Amazon.com
and
Amazon’s
European
sites.
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