Water scarcity

About: Water scarcity is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 11579 publications have been published within this topic receiving 228756 citations. The topic is also known as: water shortage.

Water Use in China’s Domestic, Industrial and Agricultural Sectors: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract: Demand management plays an increasingly important role in dealing with water scarcity in China. It is important to understand the level and pattern of water use in various sectors across the regions for any measures being put into effect. The aim of this study is to enhance the understanding of the factors that influence water demand by examining closely the water use in domestic, industrial and agricultural sectors. Using province level panel data from 1997 to 2003, the examination shows that the regional disparity in the level and pattern of water uses is considerable. The estimation of water demand shows that both economic and climatic variables have significant effects on water demand. The results suggest an income elasticity of 0.42 for the domestic sector, an output elasticity of -0.32 for industrial water use (per unit of output), and an output elasticity of –0.24 for irrigated agriculture (per land area).

Impact of population growth and land-use change on water resources and ecosystems of the and Tarim River Basin in Western China

Abstract: Time series data on population change, economic development, climate change, water volume and quality and oasis land-use change were collected to study the interactions between these factors in the and Tarim River Basin, China. The study reveals that precipitation and stream flow in headwater streams increased, but stream flow in the main Tarim River had reduced significantly over the past three decades. This implies that human activity, rather than climate change, dominated the recent environmental changes in the river basin. As a result of population growth and cultivated land expansion in the upper and middle reaches of the river, severe problems of water shortage, water pollution, death of natural vegetation, soil salinization, desertification and sand-dust storms have occurred, particularly in downstream areas of the river basin. These problems have had serious negative effects on the health of local people and sustainable social economic development in the region. Some development strategies are proposed to deal with these problems.

The planetary water drama: Dual task of feeding humanity and curbing climate change

Abstract: [1] This paper analyses the potential conflict between resilience of the Earth system and global freshwater requirements for the dual task of carbon sequestration to reduce CO2in the atmosphere, and food production to feed humanity by 2050. It makes an attempt to assess the order of magnitude of the increased consumptive water use involved and analyses the implications as seen from two parallel perspectives; the global perspective of human development within a “safe operating space” with regard to the definition of the Planetary Boundary for freshwater; and the social-ecological implications at the regional river basin scale in terms of sharpening water shortages and threats to aquatic ecosystems. The paper shows that the consumptive water use involved in the dual task would both transgress the proposed planetary boundary range for global consumptive freshwater use and would further exacerbate already severe river depletion, causing societal problems related to water shortage and water allocation. Thus, strategies to rely on sequestration of CO2 as a mitigation strategy must recognize the high freshwater costs involved, implying that the key climate mitigation strategy must be to reduce emissions. The paper finally highlights the need to analyze both water and carbon tradeoffs from anticipated large scale biofuel production climate change mitigation strategy, to reveal gains and impact of this in contrast to carbon sequestration strategies.

The End of Abundance: economic solutions to water scarcity

Abstract: nice demonstration of the value of careful applied economic analysis on disasters. One finding is that tornadoes are more lethal after dark. The reasons why this is the case will determine the appropriate policy response. Useful. Collectively, the chapters highlight that economic analysis of disasters has important implications for government policy and that there are still important questions to be resolved. The concepts for analysing uncertain natural system, such as moral hazard, with which agricultural and resource economists are familiar, provide the foundation for an analysis. However, this book introduces other factors that need to be considered, such as how real people and markets respond to the risk of disasters and associated policies, the links between disasters and urban land markets, and the regional economic context. Messier issues such as the complex institutional issues raised by urban planning and zoning systems, and the confounding uncertainty of climate change are not fully addressed, but the approaches described in this book provide a good starting point.

Common Waters, Diverging Streams: Linking Institutions and Water Management in Arizona, California, and Colorado

Abstract: Preface PART 1 Common Waters: Managing Surface Water and Groundwater Resources Together 1. Water Scarcity, Management, and Institutions 2. The Promise of Conjunctive Water Management 3. Opportunities and Obstacles for Conjunctive Management PART 2 How Institutions Matter: Institutions and Conjunctive Management in California, Arizona, and Colorado 4. California 5. Arizona 6. Colorado PART 3 Institutions and Policy Change: Analysis and Recommendations 7. Tracing and Comparing Institutional Effects 8. Future Directions of the Diverging Streams 9. Shaping the Future: Institutional Changes to Improve Water Management Appendix. The Three States: Why We Chose Them, and What We Did Notes Bibliography Index