PYTR Class

Learning Objectives

1. Outline the meaning of water stress in comparison to water scarcity
2. Outline the factors that increase water stress in a region
3. Describe water stress involving transboundary disputes

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Part 1: Global Water Stress

• Water stress is a measure of water supply limitations, similar to water scarcity.
  • Water stress is defined as a supply of less than 1700 m³ per year per capita of clean, accessible water.
• It considers not just availability but also:
  • Water quality
  • Environmental flows
  • Accessibility
• A region with an ample water supply may still experience water stress due to low water quality.
• Water stress refers to the inability to meet human and ecological demands for water.
• It occurs when the demand for safe, usable water exceeds supply.
• Water scarcity, in contrast, refers specifically to a lack of abundant water supply.

Part 2: Factors Increasing Water Stress

Human Factors

Natural Factors

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The causes of increasing water stress vary depending on the socioeconomic context:

• Emerging Economies
  • Rapid industrialisation increases water demand for manufacturing and energy production, often leading to over-extraction and pollution of water sources.
• Low-Income Countries (LICs)
  • Population growth and urbanisation put pressure on existing water supplies, leading to over-abstraction of groundwater and depletion of surface water resources.

Other contributing factors include:

• climate change,
• inefficient water management, and
• poor infrastructure.

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Case Study:

Water Stress and the Indian Textile Industry

• Global Water Stress
  • Of the world’s 60 largest economies, 29 are ranked “high to extremely high” for water stress (World Resources Institute – WRI).
  • Water-intensive industries are concentrated in these 29 countries, including:
    • 88% of global coal mining.
    • 80% of global textile production.
  • The top four textile producers are China, India, the USA, and Indonesia.
  • The textile industry is worsening India’s growing water crisis.
• Water Stress in India
  • India is ranked 13th among the world’s most water-stressed countries (WRI).
  • Water stress in India is extremely high:
    • 50% of the population lacks access to safe water.
    • Surface and groundwater supplies are rapidly depleting.
• Fast Fashion’s Impact
  • Growth of fast fashion increases demand for cheap, mass-produced textiles.
  • Retail brands prioritise low production costs, often at the expense of:
    • Environmental protection.
    • Workers’ rights.
• Cotton Production and Water Use
  • India produces some of the cheapest cotton in the world, leading to high demand.
  • Cotton is highly water-intensive:
    • 22,500 litres of water are needed to produce 1 kg of cotton (enough for one T-shirt and a pair of jeans).
• Competing Water Demands
  • Farmers and industries compete for water resources.
  • Population growth further increases water demand.
  • As more Indians enter the middle class, their water consumption rises, exacerbating the crisis.

Part 3: Transboundary Dispute

River or Aquifer	Countries Involved in the Dispute	Subject of Dispute
Nile	Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, DR Congo, Eritrea	Siltation, flooding, water flow/diversion
Euphrates, Tigris	Iraq, Syria, Turkey	Dams, reduced water flow, salinisation, hydroelectricity
Brahmaputra, Ganges	Bangladesh, India	Siltation, flooding, water flow/diversion
Mekong	Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam	Water flow, flooding, irrigation
Parana	Argentina, Brazil	Dam, land inundation
Lauca	Bolivia, Chile	Dam, salinisation
Rio Grande, Colorado	Mexico, USA	Salinisation, water flow, agrochemical pollution
Great Lakes	Canada, USA	Water diversion
Rhine	France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany	Industrial pollution
Danube	Austria, Slovakia, Hungary	Water diversion, hydroelectricity

Exercises