Forbes (August 24)
“Europe’s worst drought and heatwave in half a millennium is also a disaster in the realm of energy.” Though unspeakable suffering has followed in its wake, “it is the drought, especially the drying of European rivers, which should worry everyone the most…. Rivers are Europe’s economic and transportation backbone, and their drying will drive up energy and commodity prices” and stifle logistics and energy production. “Rivers form an invisible but vital infrastructure to every part of the European economy, and energy is no exception.”
Tags: Backbone, Commodity prices, Disaster, Drought, Drying, Energy, Europe, Heatwave, Logistics, Millennium, Rivers, Suffering, Transportation, Worst
BBC (August 17)
“Unprecedented levels of dam building and water extraction by nations on great rivers are leaving countries further downstream increasingly thirsty, increasing the risk of conflicts.” During the 20th Century, “global water use grew at more than twice the rate of population increase.” As a result, water crises have consistently ranked high in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks and look poised to become an increasing source of conflict.
Tags: Conflict, Conflicts, Crises, Dam building, Downstream, Extraction, Population, Risk, Rivers, Thirsty, Unprecedented, Water, Water use
Boston Globe (July 13)
Lucky for Massachusetts’ rivers that this summer’s wet. Many go dry in August because of unreasonable demands made on them by cities and residents. The Globe urges lawmakers to pass the Sustainable Water Resources Act which would restrict the amount of water that can be removed from rivers, keeping them at safe levels for the fish and other aquatic denizens, as well as humans.
Lucky for Massachusetts’ rivers that this summer’s wet. Many go dry in August because of unreasonable demands made on them by cities and residents. The Globe urges lawmakers to pass the Sustainable Water Resources Act which would restrict the amount of water that can be removed from rivers, keeping them at safe levels for the fish and other aquatic denizens, as well as humans.
Tags: Massachusetts, Rivers, Sustainability, U.S., Water
