Climate change and water science policy in management

Abstract

Water sustains life, the environment and development. Human rights to water, as water is becoming a commodity threatens the poor. Global water crisis in term of quantity and quality is a man-made disaster linked to environmental imbalance and degradation of the life-support ecosystem. It is a crisis of water management, fragmented institutions, inadequate policies and legal systems, lack of political will, and a widening gap between science and policy making at the national, regional and global levels. Already one third of the world population is living in water-scarce or water-short areas. Climate change will accelerate the figure to one-half. 12% of the world’s population uses 85% of its fresh water. And water supply resources are being stretched to their limits. By 2050 an additional three billion people will be born mostly in countries already suffering from water shortage. According to the IPCC-Nov 2014 report, the world’s electricity must be produced from zero carbon sources by 2050; otherwise, our planet faces irreversible damage. The report says renewables have to grow from 30% share of the power sector to 80%. And all fossil fuel generation without carbon capture and storage (CCS) has to be phased out by 2100. Global warming is unequivocally linked to human interference in the ecosystem, causing glaciers to melt on the polar ice caps resulting in the rise of sea level flooding of agricultural coastal areas. The Nile delta, which is the food basket of Egypt housing 46 million people, may disappear. Coastal fresh water aquifers may be flooded by seeping seawater threatening food security of many large regions of the world. With the advent of climate change, most of water stressed areas particularly in arid and semi-arid zones (Middle East and MENA regions) will face a rainfall decline of 20% and a temperature rise of 2-3 °C that would result in large losses of water resources, basic food, basic needs, and increased poverty. Water science is a “must” in developing a unique water management scheme. It contributes to well-defined policies for efficiency, sound strategy and sustainable plans of action. There is unlimited potential with what science can do on our planet, where salt water and fresh water comprise 97.5% and 2.5% of planet waters, respectively. With 70% of waters tied in polar caps, only 30% is left in rivers, lakes and ground waters to humanity. Food production accounts for 70% of water used in the world. Through the efficient use of water by renewables for desalination, recycling water for agriculture, using new cultivars under stress of low level of waters and brackish waters and genomes resistant to pests and droughts etc., have to intrigue scientists in our part of the world to find a lasting solution to the challenging problem. Fundamental change in water policies and engaging science to develop a unique water management scheme is imperative. Currently, water policies are divorced from sound science. Demands should be managed by a new culture of efficiency, cutting losses, and protecting water from overuse and pollution. There is no doubt that the Climate change and Water - Energy - Food security Nexus in the Arab Middle East, is becoming more complex due to rapid population growth and growing demands by industrial and agricultural developments. Therefore, science becomes crucial in providing the basis for sound governance and a holistic approach enlightened policy linked to energy and water management for sound food security. The potential of what modern science R&D can do is without limits.