Drinking water is an abundant resource on the planet, but not equally. In temperate countries, water almost never lacks, while in those hotter happens quite often. And with global warming, the situation could deteriorate quickly in the coming years. The WWF has published a study showing that even those countries that have abundant water, in this case Germany, depend greatly on the availability of water in other countries.
In the global consumption in fact must be calculated also water needed to produce food, clothes and every other kind of product. So in the end the need for water that a country like Germany has come each year to 160 cubic km of water, but only half of it comes from rain and rivers in Germany. The study of the WWF wants to point how is important to defend the availability of water even in countries far away from Europe. Yet the UN Convention on the use of water has been signed only by Germany of all the G8 countries, and to come into force would need the signatures of at least 19 other countries.
Meanwhile in Stockholm, Sweden, is held every August the International Week of Waters, which seeks to address first the problem of availability of safe drinking water, which still lacks to 880 million people worldwide, especially in the suburbs of large cities in developing countries. In these countries, often the water supply is privatized, making life impossible for the poor, who end up spending everything they have to pay for drinking water. A similar situation led to the revolt of water in Bolivia in 2000, a successful revolt that forced the English, Italian, American and Bolivian consortium who was to manage the water to give up. The World Bank in fact often force poor countries to accept the privatization of water in exchange for loans, one of the various forms of neo-colonialism of this surely not humanitarian body.
Meanwhile in Stockholm, Sweden, is held every August the International Week of Waters, which seeks to address first the problem of availability of safe drinking water, which still lacks to 880 million people worldwide, especially in the suburbs of large cities in developing countries. In these countries, often the water supply is privatized, making life impossible for the poor, who end up spending everything they have to pay for drinking water. A similar situation led to the revolt of water in Bolivia in 2000, a successful revolt that forced the English, Italian, American and Bolivian consortium who was to manage the water to give up. The World Bank in fact often force poor countries to accept the privatization of water in exchange for loans, one of the various forms of neo-colonialism of this surely not humanitarian body.
In a world where over the next five decades climate change could leave 3 billion people in a situation of scarcity of water is quite obvious that the problem should be tackled seriously. In fact, the powerful and the rich of the earth are facing it very seriously. They are trying to privatize all the water on the planet.
Last summer the Italian government, with the consent of Pd, has allowed the privatization of water.
Last summer the Italian government, with the consent of Pd, has allowed the privatization of water.
Because the availability of water is the very foundation of human civilization, who controls water will be the absolute master of life on Earth. If they will be allowed to do so.
Francesco Defferrari
Francesco Defferrari
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