UN report: world water crisis could lead to resource wars

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Sunday 12 February 2012

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Agriculture & Food
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NEWS
EU, India hope for a trade deal by year-end
Meeting in New Delhi today (10 February), EU and Indian leaders have said they took a “significant step forward” to speed up negotiations to reach a free-trade pact by the end of the year, which would double trade between the 27-country bloc and the Asian partner.

News | Dutch website causes stir in Central Europe
News | Crackdown on derivatives trading agreed
News | Socialists say 'Stop ACTA'
News | With growth in mind, leaders vow to put consumers first
News | EU-India trade deal not yet in sight
Hot topics
SPECIAL REPORTS
Special Reports
LINKSDOSSIERS

Smart grids: Making connections
EU plans to move towards a low-carbon economy depend upon a transformed cross-border transmissions system that can integrate renewables and smart meters alike, offering energy consumption savings at source. But is Europe on track to meet the challenge?

LinksDossier | The Danish EU presidency: Bridge over troubled water
LinksDossier | EU-Ukraine relations: A geopolitical test
LinksDossier | Europe's new treaty: Towards a multi-speed Union
LinksDossier | CAP reform 2014-2020
LinksDossier | Cybersecurity: Protecting the digital economy
INTERVIEWS

Potočnik: More legislative power, but no money for environment
Compared to other policy areas, environment still remains the Cinderella of the European budget, where allocations amount to just over €2 billion compared to research which gets more than €50 billion for the FP7. Negotiations on the next EU budget 2014-2020 will be crucial, said Commissioner Janez Potočnik in an interview with EurActiv Slovakia.

Interview | Hedegaard: 'Rethinking our growth model'
Interview | Director: Demand for French classes 'growing by 5% each year'
Interview | Danish minister: Green growth without prophesying
Interview | Welsh leader: 'Our interests in Europe are distinctive from England's'
Interview | Šefčovič: Citizens’ Initiative will bring Europe closer together
OPINIONS

Senegal deserves transparent elections
The stakes for the upcoming presidential elections in Senegal on 26 February are high for its democratic development, writes Ernst Stetter, secretary-general of the centre-left European Foundation for Progressive Studies.

Opinion | GM crops: Follow the money
Opinion | The vicious cycle of Greece
Opinion | Romanian government falls: Plus ça change...
Opinion | Multilevel Europe: A win-win for EU and Ukraine
Opinion | A strong public service is even more needed in times of crisis
BLOGS

European Foundation Statute: Entering the home stretch
A level-playing field for European foundations is a step closer to becoming a reality with the European Commission’s adoption of a proposed Regulati..

Blog | Fierce troika attack on Greek labour costs
Blog | Al borde del éxodo, el último acto de la tragedia griega
Blog | External and internal factors of the Greek failure
Blog | Eurostat: Eurozone debt actually decreasing
Blog | Britain belongs at the centre of where decisions are made
VIDEOS

Background:

The world's water reserves are drying up fast and between two and seven billion people out of a projected total of 9.3 billion could be affected by water scarcity by 2050. Over the next 20 years, the average supply of water worldwide per person is expected to drop by a third. The struggle for water might lead to wars, especially in the Middle East. Belgium tops the world worst water quality ranking in the report, preceding countries like India, Sudan or Rwanda. Finland has the best water quality in the world. In Central and Eastern Europe, where the water quality was quite bad under communism, the situation has improved.

The 600-page World Water Development Report was published one week before the start of an international summit of political delegations in Kyoto, Japan. It points to the responsibility of political leaders in mismanagement of essential water resources.

The Third World Water Forum in Kyoto will be held from 16-23 March 2003.