Only 1% of our blue planet is fresh water💧making water scarcity a huge issue. But scarcity is often the result of unequal power relations – not natural causes. IDS researcher and Blue Community Ambassador Lyla Mehta discusses who controls water with the Green European Journal.
«More often than not, water scarcity is a socio-political issue of distribution and exclusion.»
Climate change and other environmental impacts can contribute to the perception of water scarcity. But, like abundance, scarcity is often the result of unequal power relations rather than a purely natural phenomenon. Although the United Nations recognised the human right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation in 2010, holding public and private actors accountable for breaches is difficult. Post-growth approaches could help reimagine our failing water systems.
