Home | Databases | WorldLII | Search | Feedback Edited Legal Collections Data

Ahmad, Manzoor --- "Promoting global water-use efficiency – promises and shortcomings of international trade rules" [2017] ELECD 322; in Chaisse, Julien (ed), "Charting the Water Regulatory Future" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2017) 23

Book Title: Charting the Water Regulatory Future

Editor(s): Chaisse, Julien

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781785366710

Section: Chapter 2

Section Title: Promoting global water-use efficiency – promises and shortcomings of international trade rules

Author(s): Ahmad, Manzoor

Number of pages: 13

Abstract/Description:

Water has been identified as one of the top three concerns in terms of impact in the Global Risks 2016 report recently issued by the World Economic Forum. The US National Intelligence Council considers the nexus of food, water, energy and climate change as one of four overarching megatrends shaping the world by 2030. Furthermore, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes a dedicated goal on water and sanitation (SDG 6) that sets out to ‘ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’. Water use is growing at twice the pace of population growth and, as a result, water requirements are expected to outgrow sustainable water supplies by 40 per cent over the next 15 years. Although there may not be global scarcity of water, in just ten years, two-thirds of the world population may be experiencing water ‘stress’. Not only are water shortages becoming acute in some countries but they are also wasting more water. Few countries price water appropriately and there is little or no transparency about subsidies given to the sector. Wrong incentives and policies are leading to unsustainable management of a scarce and precious resource.