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Water Security

All articles tagged with #water security

Water under fire: US strikes hit Iran’s reservoirs amid drought and escalation
world1 month ago

Water under fire: US strikes hit Iran’s reservoirs amid drought and escalation

The United States says its attacks on Iran were a response to Iranian escalation, but Iran reports civilian water infrastructure—two reservoirs near Sirik serving thousands of residents—was damaged, highlighting Iran’s severe drought and the civilian impact of the fighting; a prior strike on a desalination plant worsened water shortages, and Iran calls the action a potential war crime under international humanitarian law.

via Al Jazeera|
#international-law#iran#us-strikes
Most of Earth's freshwater is locked in Antarctic ice, leaving only a sliver readily accessible
environment1 month ago

Most of Earth's freshwater is locked in Antarctic ice, leaving only a sliver readily accessible

More than two-thirds of Earth's freshwater is frozen in ice caps and glaciers, with Antarctica alone holding about 70% of all fresh water (roughly 28–30 million cubic km). While the global stock is vast, the portion that is easily usable is tiny—about 1% of total freshwater—leaving the majority of water either locked in ice or buried too deep for practical extraction. Groundwater accounts for roughly 30% of freshwater, but much of it is not readily pumpable; the upshot is that water security depends on access and distribution, not total supply.

via Space Daily|
#antarctica#distribution#environment
Argentina relaxes glacier protections to boost mining, sparking water fears
world3 months ago

Argentina relaxes glacier protections to boost mining, sparking water fears

Argentina's Milei government approved a reform to the 2010 glacier protection law, letting provinces decide which glaciers are protected based on whether they serve a 'relevant water function'. Supporters say the change will attract investment in minerals essential for the energy transition, but critics warn it erodes a national environmental standard and could threaten drinking water for about 7 million Argentines who rely on glacier-fed rivers. The reform has sparked protests and drawn warnings from scientists about glaciers’ broader ecological and hydrological roles.

via The Guardian|
#argentina#glacier-law#mining
Argentina approves glacier mining bill amid environmental protests
world3 months ago

Argentina approves glacier mining bill amid environmental protests

Argentina's lower house approved the glacier-law amendment 137-111 (with three abstentions), enabling mining in ecologically sensitive glacier and periglacial areas amid protests; environmentalists warn it threatens water supplies, while backers say it clarifies policy and could boost mining exports by giving provinces more authority to designate protected zones.

via The Guardian|
#environmental-protests#glacier-mining#milei
Trump's Threat to Iran's Desalination Plants Could Redraw Middle East Water Security
world3 months ago

Trump's Threat to Iran's Desalination Plants Could Redraw Middle East Water Security

Trump said on Truth Social that if a deal isn’t reached and the Hormuz Strait remains blocked, the U.S. could blow up Iran’s energy infrastructure and possibly its desalination plants, a move that could jeopardize Gulf water supplies that rely heavily on desalinated water. Desalination is vital for cities across the region, so such attacks would carry humanitarian and geopolitical consequences, with Gulf states scrambling to bolster backups while international law prohibits targeting civilian water infrastructure.

via Yahoo|
#desalination#iran#middle-east
UN Warns Iran Could Hit Desalination Plants, Triggering Water Crisis and Market Fallout
world4 months ago

UN Warns Iran Could Hit Desalination Plants, Triggering Water Crisis and Market Fallout

A UN official warns Iran could target desalination plants across the Middle East within days, risking a regional water crisis with immediate and lasting knock-on effects on global markets, including oil prices. The report cites alleged strikes on facilities such as Bahrain and Iran’s Qeshm Island plant amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran threatening retaliation against energy and infrastructure targets if attacked.

via Fox News|
#desalination#iran#middle-east
SWOT unmasks a global tidal footprint of rivers
science4 months ago

SWOT unmasks a global tidal footprint of rivers

Using the SWOT satellite’s wide-swath altimetry, researchers mapped tidal elevations across 3,172 coastal rivers and identified over 165,000 km of tidal reach on 51,627 river branches, revealing that tides influence hundreds of millions of people and many waterways. Tidal amplitudes at river mouths, channel slope, width, and human-made obstacles shape how far tides propagate upstream, with dams notably limiting tidal extent in about 16% of rivers. The study, validated against 622 tide gauges and supported by the RiverSP dataset, provides a global atlas of tidal rivers, enabling improved flood/drought analysis, saltwater intrusion prediction, and hydrologic–ecologic modelling for coastal water security under climate change.

via Nature|
#river-tides#science#swot
Desalination Under Fire: Gulf Water Security on the Brink
middle-east4 months ago

Desalination Under Fire: Gulf Water Security on the Brink

Bahrain says an Iranian drone damaged a Gulf desalination plant—the first reported attack in the region during the current conflict—while Iran accuses the US of hitting a plant on Qeshm Island, highlighting the Gulf’s heavy reliance on desalinated water. GCC states account for a large share of global desalination capacity, making outages potentially severe for drinking water and agriculture; experts urge regional coordination, diversified and distributed desalination, and shared water reserves to bolster resilience amid ongoing tensions.

via Al Jazeera|
#desalination#gcc#iran
Scientists Warn of Irreversible Climate Shift Threatening Water Security for 2 Billion
science1 year ago

Scientists Warn of Irreversible Climate Shift Threatening Water Security for 2 Billion

A new study warns that rising global temperatures could cause irreversible shifts in rainfall patterns, particularly affecting the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), which may lead to severe water disruptions for nearly 2 billion people and threaten ecosystems, agriculture, and water supplies worldwide. Immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to prevent these long-term impacts.

via The Daily Galaxy|
#climate-change#global-warming#itcz
Israel's Flooding of Gaza's Tunnels: Impact on Freshwater Supply
international-relations2 years ago

Israel's Flooding of Gaza's Tunnels: Impact on Freshwater Supply

Israel has confirmed pumping seawater into Gaza's tunnels, a move that could violate international law and have dire consequences for the enclave's freshwater supply. Environmental analysts warn that this could damage Gaza's groundwater aquifer, which 2.3 million people depend on, leading to long-term devastation. The region already faces water scarcity and sewage contamination, and the flooding of tunnels could exacerbate these issues. The move has raised concerns about Israel's use of water as a weapon and potential violations of international law, including the UN Genocide Convention.

via Al Jazeera English|
#environmental-impact#gaza#international-law
Stalemate reached as Egypt and Ethiopia fail to reach agreement on Renaissance Dam
international-relations2 years ago

Stalemate reached as Egypt and Ethiopia fail to reach agreement on Renaissance Dam

Egypt has announced that the latest talks over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) have failed. Egypt expressed concerns about its water and national security and reserved the right to defend itself if any harm occurs. Ethiopia accused Egypt of misrepresenting its positions and having a colonial-era mentality. The dam has been a source of contention as Egypt and Sudan worry about their water supplies from the Nile, while Ethiopia argues for its right to economic development. The meeting failed due to Ethiopia's refusal to accept compromise solutions, according to Egypt, while Ethiopia remains committed to a negotiated settlement.

via Reuters|
#egypt#ethiopia#grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam
Reviving Springs: Northern Indian Villagers Adapt to Combat Climate Change
environment2 years ago

Reviving Springs: Northern Indian Villagers Adapt to Combat Climate Change

As climate change worsens water scarcity in northern India, villagers in the Himalayan foothills are working to revive their springs, which provide a vital source of water for millions of people. With the help of a development organization, local women are forming water user committees and conducting hydrogeological surveys to identify catchment areas and implement measures to slow down and trap rainwater, such as digging trenches and percolation pits. These efforts have led to noticeable improvements in water availability and have relieved the burden on women who previously had to travel long distances to fetch water.

via KPBS|
#climate-change#environment#himalayas