For many people, a clean drink of water isn’t a certainty. Right now an estimated 1.2 billion people live in areas with chronic water scarcity, and upwards of 4 billion — two-thirds of the world’s population — experience shortages at least one month a year. As bad as this sounds though, it’s not an unsolvable problem, according to a new book by Edward B. Barbier, a scholar in environmental sustainability. The author explains that our approach to solving water shortages with drastic measures in the moment of crisis isn’t a cost-effective strategy and won’t solve our long-term problems. Instead, he argues, we need to fix the root of the problem: not simply a lack of water but inadequate and poor management of the water we do have. From water governance to changing the perception of water’s worth, there are plenty of strategies we can utilize to solve the global water crisis. Have a look a few of those strategies here.
A step-guide to solving the global water crisis
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