Water is the sustainment for all life as we know it, without it, we will all perish. Because of the critical shortage of the often overlooked natural resource of water, the world will soon be thrust into a long and enduring crisis. Not only is it needed for humans to drink, but it is also needed to grow and sustain crops, and to maintain pastoral flocks and herds and provide essential protein from fish. Additionally, fresh water provides the source of critical energy generated by hydroelectric dams that not only provide sustenance for humans, and support to major urban areas for utilities; they also power industry. Water Scarcity can, and will inevitably be, a flash point for conflict between Middle Eastern, and North African (MENA) states
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Accordingly, the MENA states are already suffering from the reciprocal effects of water scarcity on an already agriculturally blighted area. So how can this happen to a planet covered with 71% water? We need fresh water to survive, and that constitutes approximately 1% of all water on Earth that has a salinity content of less than 0.35%. The other 99% of the water is broken down into 97% saltwater with a saline content 3.5%, and the remaining 2% of the fresh water is trapped in the world’s Ice flows and snow packs. The MENA societies are reliant on the shortages of critical life-sustaining water sources due to the extensive desertification, persistent droughts, and water mismanagement. A vast proportion of the population centers are located in, or near, the existing three major river basins in the MENA geographic regions comprised of the Blue and White Nile headwaters of the great Nile River, the Tigris, and the Euphrates in Mesopotamia and the Jordan rivers. Of the Earth’s water resources, only .3% of the total 1% of fresh water, is contained in the tributaries and subsurface groundwater deposits in the MENA river …show more content…
Additionally, there is another factor that is in play with the rapid degradation of the Mosul Dam. The collapse of this dam would be catastrophic not only due to the massive loss of life, but it could also have far-reaching impacts on Iraq’s water infrastructure. It would add yet more fuel to spawn even more crisis. It has to be stated that these water issues were once thought to be internal in nature and only directly affect the neighboring countries. However, we are rapidly turning into a global society and what happens to these nations can have a direct impact on America and other Western nations. Immigration from these water ridden lands will be an issue that we will all have to handle once it occurs. Western technology such as reverse osmosis may assist some, but it comes with a cost and who will bear the burden. The Office of the Director of Intelligence (ODNI) in February of 2012, thought that the problem was significant enough to publish an Intelligence Community Assessment that issued the key judgements that summarized state -- that during the next 10 years, many countries important to the U.S. will experience water problems—shortages, poor water quality, or floods—that will risk instability and state failure, increase regional tensions, and distract them from
Accordingly, the MENA states are already suffering from the reciprocal effects of water scarcity on an already agriculturally blighted area. So how can this happen to a planet covered with 71% water? We need fresh water to survive, and that constitutes approximately 1% of all water on Earth that has a salinity content of less than 0.35%. The other 99% of the water is broken down into 97% saltwater with a saline content 3.5%, and the remaining 2% of the fresh water is trapped in the world’s Ice flows and snow packs. The MENA societies are reliant on the shortages of critical life-sustaining water sources due to the extensive desertification, persistent droughts, and water mismanagement. A vast proportion of the population centers are located in, or near, the existing three major river basins in the MENA geographic regions comprised of the Blue and White Nile headwaters of the great Nile River, the Tigris, and the Euphrates in Mesopotamia and the Jordan rivers. Of the Earth’s water resources, only .3% of the total 1% of fresh water, is contained in the tributaries and subsurface groundwater deposits in the MENA river …show more content…
Additionally, there is another factor that is in play with the rapid degradation of the Mosul Dam. The collapse of this dam would be catastrophic not only due to the massive loss of life, but it could also have far-reaching impacts on Iraq’s water infrastructure. It would add yet more fuel to spawn even more crisis. It has to be stated that these water issues were once thought to be internal in nature and only directly affect the neighboring countries. However, we are rapidly turning into a global society and what happens to these nations can have a direct impact on America and other Western nations. Immigration from these water ridden lands will be an issue that we will all have to handle once it occurs. Western technology such as reverse osmosis may assist some, but it comes with a cost and who will bear the burden. The Office of the Director of Intelligence (ODNI) in February of 2012, thought that the problem was significant enough to publish an Intelligence Community Assessment that issued the key judgements that summarized state -- that during the next 10 years, many countries important to the U.S. will experience water problems—shortages, poor water quality, or floods—that will risk instability and state failure, increase regional tensions, and distract them from