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Chaisse, Julien --- "Introduction" [2017] ELECD 321; in Chaisse, Julien (ed), "Charting the Water Regulatory Future" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017) 1

Book Title: Charting the Water Regulatory Future

Editor(s): Chaisse, Julien

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781785366710

Section: Chapter 1

Section Title: Introduction

Author(s): Chaisse, Julien

Number of pages: 20

Abstract/Description:

This book is about the issues, challenges and directions concerning water as an essential resource for mankind. The book aims to provide a finer understanding of the future regulation of water. It does so by inviting a number of leading experts to comment on the main problems confronting the actors of the water world such as governments, companies, international organizations, and citizens. The world’s water resources are sufficient to meet present requirements, from the simple mathematical point of view. However, this finding is not as reassuring as it may seem. Most countries will encounter freshwater management issues because their water quality has been (or will be) degraded by pollutionand its per capita amount will decrease under pressure from population growth. Also, changes in the world’s climate and the new regional imbalances they cause will further aggravate this situation. Water remains a vital resource and the way it is used evolves over time; it is also an indispensable engine for economic activities, and moreover it is one which some countries do not hesitate to turn into a weapon of war. It is an economic, strategic and geopolitical issue. While water consumption is stabilizing or even decreasing in Western European countries, demand is increasing both in developing and emerging countries, thereby demonstrating a positive progress in health. However, too many people in the world do not have access to running water.