Cross-Cultural Perspectives – The Global Water Crisis

Cross-Cultural Perspectives – The Global Water Crisis

Hello, and welcome to today’s presentation on the global water crisis. The Division of Water Sourcing and Education (DOWSE) is pleased to give this presentation and continue creating awareness of the global water crisis while focusing on how water shortage, quality, and mismanagement affect cultures and politics worldwide and the role of media in addressing this issue.

Introduction

Water is a fundamental resource and an indispensable element of life. Of the total available water on earth, only 2.8% is freshwater, and the remaining 97.2% is saline. Of the 2.8% fresh water, 2.1% is found in ice/glaciers, 0.37% is groundwater, and just 0.02% is available as surface water (Kumar et al., 2017). Further, this surface water comprises 87% water from lakes, 11% from swamps, and only 2% from rivers (Kumar et al., 2017). This shows that only a small percentage of fresh water is available for human use. Even so, in the last few decades, various factors, such as increased industrialization, overpopulation, and vast agricultural practices, have made water shortage a more critical and complicated issue. Therefore, this presentation aims to describe the global water crisis, its effects on countries and cultures worldwide, the inequality or discrimination it causes, actions being taken to address this issue, the role of governmental and non-governmental organizations, and how the media portrays this complex global issue.

The Water Crisis

The water crisis began a few decades ago when population growth increased steadily, resulting in higher water demands and increased urbanization, industrialization, deforestation, and water pollution. Consequently, according to Kumar et al. (2017), approximately one billion people of the global population lack safe drinking water. Kumar et al. (2017) add that 50% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since the 20^th century and that based on the increased demand for water and declined freshwater availability, there might be conflicts over water in the future that may cause water wars. Additionally, Sivakumar (2011) notes that three factors, that is, population growth, climate change, and transboundary river basins, continue complicating the water situation. Notably, population growth implies increased water demands; climate change and the intensified greenhouse effect will lead to more severe and frequent hydrological disasters, such as droughts; and transboundary river basins are sources of many conflicts between the nations sharing them, though they have led to cooperation in some instances. It is worth noting that the global crisis is not primarily due to actual physical water shortage but due to the continued and widespread water mismanagement practices.

Local and Global Organizations’ Actions to Address the Water Crisis Issue

Many local and global organizations have taken various steps to address the water crisis. Nonetheless, this presentation will focus on the United Nations (UN) and the 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 WRG), a global organization that collaborates with local organizations, partners, and governments to combat the water issue. To begin with, 2030 WRG aims to resolve the water crisis from a global and multi-stakeholder perspective and actively collaborate with local structures (Brabeck-Letmathe, 2015). Its objectives are creating worldwide awareness about the role of water, helping decision-makers in individual countries take action for productive, efficient, and sustainable water use, and helping close the supply and demand water gap. In this regard, actions taken via 2030 WRG include formulating programs designed to address various aspects of the water crisis. For instance, the government and local partners in South Africa developed the No Drop incentive program to minimize the very high municipal leakages (Brabeck-Letmathe, 2015). The program’s purpose was also to address the inefficient and outdated irrigation systems and the drainage from coal mines that pollutes rivers. Another action is encouraging water reuse and recycling, improving wastewater treatment, and reducing industrial pollution, a discussion that occurred in Bangladesh 2030 WRG (Brabeck-Letmathe, 2015). Notably, efficient water use, especially in agriculture, has been addressed during 2030 WRG discussions in other nations such as Tanzania and Kenya. Further, the UN has also played a significant part in addressing the global water crisis by enabling access to safe drinking water and encouraging governments to 1) devise plans to ensure equitable water access to all, 2) invest more in water infrastructure, wastewater treatment, and new ways for water recycling and conservation, and 3) address climate change (United Nations, 2023). Additionally, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to ensure accessibility and sustainable water management and sanitation for everyone.

The Effects of the Water Crisis on Countries and Cultures Worldwide

The water crisis affects countries and cultures worldwide in many ways. First, the water crisis results in the deaths of many. Particularly, 297,000 children below five years die annually due to diseases related to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation (Water Mission, 2020). Unsafe water and poor sanitation also cause infections during births, resulting in 11% of maternal deaths, 26% of infant mortalities, and one million deaths annually (Water Mission, 2020). Second, the water crisis increases the financial burden, especially on low-income communities. For instance, Guadalupe Victoria residents in Mexico spend $1 for a small container of water. This is an astronomical cost compared to what US residents spend through a municipal service: less than a penny for a gallon of water. Third, the water crisis costs individuals, especially women and children, energy and time as they travel miles and spend many hours daily searching for water (Water Mission, 2020). Fourth, the water crisis denies communities an opportunity to thrive as governments spend much more on water solutions than development projects. Since water scarcity limits agricultural production, the water crisis affects food security, with food-insecure communities at a higher risk of starvation and malnutrition. Also, countries incur significant medical costs associated with unsafe water and sanitation. Further, the water crisis affects the culture, traditions, and how different communities live. For example, the water crisis has changed how the Sami people, a group of indigenous people residing in northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland, and the Kola Peninsula, Russia, live. The Sami people are best known for reindeer herding; therefore, the water crisis threatens the existence of reindeer and, consequently, the Sami culture (Sköld, 2019).

The Inequality or Discrimination Caused by the Water Crisis

One notable inequality caused by the water crisis is the time and energy women and children, particularly in developing countries, lose searching for water. The Water Mission (2020) notes that the crisis affects women and children more than other populations, as they spend much of their time and energy collecting water instead of going to work or school. Also, the UN Human Rights Office (2021) reports that the water crisis affects populations unequally, with marginalized or vulnerable individuals, such as minority groups, refugees, women, people with disabilities, individuals living in poverty, and older adults, being the most affected. Further, a study investigating the condition of public water systems in the US revealed water inequality in the country. A noteworthy finding is that not all can access safe water and that geographical region, race, and income affect the quality (Rivera-Diaz et al., 2021). Another finding notes that most counties consistently violate state and federal standards without any government action. Also, violation points in poor counties are two times higher than in wealthy counties, and violation points in rural counties exceed those in metropolitan counties by 28% (Rivera-Diaz et al., 2021). Overall, there is a significant correlation between low income, people of color, and poor water quality.

The Role of Governmental Organizations in Addressing the Water Crisis

The three major roles governmental organizations play in addressing the water crisis include facilitating green infrastructure, smarter agriculture, and recycling wastewater (Klobucista & Robinson, 2023). Green infrastructure requires investing practices such as using natural systems to manage stormwater. Peru and Vietnam have taken this strategy to improve water security (Klobucista & Robinson, 2023). Second, smarter agriculture involves using innovative ideas like genetic editing and artificial intelligence that do require a minimum amount of water. Lastly, governments are investing in new water recycling and wastewater treatment methods. For instance, China and the US recycle water and use byproducts from wastewater treatment as fertilizers (Klobucista & Robinson, 2023).

The Role of Non-governmental Organizations in Addressing the Water Crisis

Many non-governmental organizations play and continue playing a significant role in addressing the water crisis by providing clean and safe water to affected communities, raising funds for water treatment and filtration projects, training local communities on the importance of proper hygiene and sanitation practices, partnering with local organizations to devise effective solutions for the water crisis (Barroso, 2019). For example, the Charity: Water organization uses remote sensors and GPS technology to trace water sources, hence ensuring water is available in different regions. Another example is the Planet Water Foundation, which introduces programs on health education and installs water filtration systems to help rural communities worldwide. Their filtration systems can be installed within 24 hours and provide safe drinking water as they trap pathogens like viruses and bacteria (Barroso, 2019). Third, Generosity.org collaborates with local water committees to construct and ensure the maintenance of water projects. Remarkably, Generosity.org has already served 19 countries and over 415,000 people in only 727 projects. The list of non-governmental organizations addressing the water crisis is endless, but it is worth noting that the primary role of most is providing access to clean water, educating communities on proper sanitation, and partnering with local structures to devise effective water solutions.

How the Media Portrays the Water Crisis

Understanding how the media portrays the water crisis is important in knowing how the public’s perception of the water issue is shaped, which impacts their decision-making and actions. In this regard, various media houses, including BBC, Media Coverage, The Guardian, and CNN, have portrayed the global water crisis as a serious issue requiring effective solutions promptly. While covering the issue, the media cites credible and affiliated institutions in its reports to show the audience the credibility of these reports and the seriousness of the water crisis. For instance, CNN titled one of its articles, “Global water crisis could ‘spiral out of control’ due to overconsumption and climate change, UN report warns,” used statistics from the UN World Water Development Report and quoted the UNESCO director general to provide solutions to the issue (Haq, 2023) while reporting about the crisis. Despite these efforts to create awareness about the dire consequences and the need for solutions to the water crisis, more has to be done to increase media coverage. Notably, the water crisis has not received much coverage compared to a topic like climate change, an observation I made while researching media coverage on the water issue. Therefore, expanding media coverage would help spread awareness about the water crisis, as heightened media coverage has been found to correlate strongly with significant behavioral changes among the public (Quesnel & Ajami, 2017), such as taking shorter showers, among other water conservation practices.

That’s all for today; thank you!

References

Barroso, M. (2019, May 30). 12 organizations are helping to end the global water crisis. BLUE Missions. https://www.bluemissions.org/blog/12-organizations-helping-to-end-the-global-water-crisis

Brabeck-Letmathe, P. (2015). How to tackle the global water crisis locally. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/02/how-to-tackle-the-global-water-crisis-locally/

Haq, S. N. (2023, March 22). Global water crisis could “spiral out of control” due to overconsumption and climate change, Un report warns. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/22/world/global-water-crisis-un-report-climate-intl/index.html

Klobucista, C., & Robinson, K. (2023, April 3). Water stress: A global problem that’s getting worse. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/water-stress-global-problem-thats-getting-worse

Kumar, R., Vaid, U., & Mittal, S. (2017). Water crisis: Issues and challenges in Punjab. Water Resources Management, 93–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5711-3_7

Quesnel, K. J., & Ajami, N. K. (2017). Changes in water consumption are linked to heavy news media coverage of extreme climatic events. Science Advances, 3(10). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700784

Rivera-Diaz, V., Staff Researcher & Writer at Save The Water^TM. (2021, March 29). Widespread water inequality across the United States. Save The Water. https://savethewater.org/widespread-water-inequality-across-the-united-states/

Sivakumar, B. (2011). Water crisis: From conflict to cooperation—an overview. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56(4), 531–552. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2011.580747

Sköld, M. (2019, July 3). Sámi culture is threatened by the water crisis. SIWI. https://siwi.org/latest/sami-culture-threatened-by-the-water-crisis/

UN Human Rights Office. (2021, March 15). The water crisis has a “major impact on human rights,” experts say. OHCHR. https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2021/03/water-crisis-has-major-impact-human-rights-expert-says

United Nations. (2023, March 23). UN Conference seeks solutions to the global water crisis. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134887

Water Mission. (2020, March 26). 6 effects of the Global Water Crisis. Water Mission. https://watermission.org/news/six-effects-global-water-crisis/

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For this project, you will develop a presentation for a nonprofit water organization. The presentation is about the global water shortage crisis. You will need to describe the crisis and explain how governments and nongovernmental organizations have tried to address it. You will also consider the relationship between this crisis and various kinds of inequality. In addition, you will study how the media serves to raise awareness of the crisis.

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

Describe cross-cultural perspectives on a complex global issue.

Scenario

You work at the Division of Water Sourcing and Education (DOWSE). DOWSE is an international nonprofit water company concerned about regions where clean water is scarce or difficult to access. Your department handles the collection of global freshwater data so it can direct new developments. Your department also collects information about the people affected by this growing water crisis.

DOWSE has been invited to give a presentation at a local science convention. Your supervisor, René Dey, has asked you to give this presentation. You should focus on how water scarcity, quality, and mismanagement affect cultures and politics around the world. You should also explain how these issues can lead to inequality and discrimination. Finally, you will need to address the role of media coverage in raising awareness about these issues.

Directions

Create a presentation about the water crisis that contains 8–10 slides. You may include a combination of graphics and text to support your message. You can record the presentation (7–10 minutes), or you can provide comprehensive speaker notes (750–1,000 words). If you choose to use speaker notes instead of recording, the notes should reflect what you would say in an audio or in-person presentation. The presentation should address the following:

Describe the water crisis and the actions local and global organizations are taking to address it. Describe the effect of the water crisis on countries and cultures around the world. Also, describe whether this has caused inequality or discrimination in these countries. Describe the role of governmental and non-governmental organizations in addressing the water crisis around the world. Discuss how the media portrays this complex global issue.

Read the Supporting Materials and Learning Resources articles to learn more about the water crisis. While conducting research, keep the following questions in mind:

How are cultural perspectives and facts presented? Does socioeconomic status or income play a role in access to safe, reliable water sources? Do gender, race, age, status, and other factors play a role in access to safe, reliable water sources? Do different members of society play bigger roles in water collection or access than others? How are governments organized in the regions affected by this crisis? Does this type of organization affect water management? Does culture play a role in how water management decisions are made? What issue(s) may have led to the water crisis in these regions? For example, poorly managed supplies, pollution, agriculture, and population growth. What sources did you use to gather this information?

What to Submit

Every project has a deliverable or deliverables, which are the files that must be submitted before your project can be assessed. For this project, you must submit the following:

Presentation
For this project, you will submit a presentation (8–10 slides). You may record the presentation (7–10 minutes in length) or include speaker notes with your slides (about 750 to 1,000 words). You may include a combination of graphics and text to support your message.

Supporting Materials

The following resource(s) may help support your work on the project:

Citation Help
Need help citing your sources? Use the CfA Citation Guide and Citation Maker.

Reading: How to Design and Deliver an Effective Presentation
This document provides a list of tutorials and resources that will be useful when completing your presentation. The tutorials cover the elements of effective presentation design.

Reading: 7 Reasons We’re Facing a Global Water Crisis
This World Resources Institute article outlines seven causes of the global water crisis.

Reading: Water Wars
This podcast includes examples of places where freshwater has become more and more difficult to obtain. It also discusses the regional effects of this crisis. The podcast is the third resource on this site. A written transcript of the podcast is available: Reveal – Water Wars.

Reading: Cape Town Has a New Apartheid
This Washington Post article outlines the water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa. It describes what people there are doing to conserve water and avoid “Day Zero”: the day their city runs out of fresh water.