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Home page  About CSIS Programs Global Strategy Institute Global Water Futures
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Global Water Futures
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The world is on a countdown toward a period of widespread water crises. Across the planet, skyrocketing demand for water is raising tensions across and within national borders; poor water infrastructure is inhibiting economic growth; and the lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities is killing thousands of people every day. The implications for U.S. interests go well beyond the country’s broader commitment to economic development and prosperity. Water could well become a source of systemic instability in regions across the planet and will undoubtedly shape the geopolitical landscape in the very near future.
For these reasons, the CSIS Global Strategy Institute launched the Global Water Future project in late 2004 to assess the impact of international water issues on U.S. strategic interests. To this end, the Institute has hosted several meetings and conferences, released a comprehensive white paper, maintained a detailed website, consulted with representatives from the government, NGO community, private sector, and academia, and released several commentaries on the current state of affairs. The first phase of the project, carried out in 2005, focused on the full range of policy and technology solutions at a general, global scale. In moving forward, our goal is to identify in more specific terms how water availability, water quality, and water management are affecting economic development, public health, stability and security at the regional level, and to determine the best approaches for addressing those issues. In completing this work, CSIS has relied upon and will continue to tap the technical expertise of Sandia National Laboratories (SNL).
Phase One: Technology and Policy Assessment
The first phase of the Global Water Futures Project, carried out in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, was a detailed assessment of the technology and governance dimensions of the growing global water crisis we face. The effort included two major workshops at CSIS as well as the development of an extensive White Paper with conclusions and recommendations. These conclusions and insights helped to shape the 2005 Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act and the ensuing strategy developed by the State Department, USAID, and other U.S. Government agencies.
Resources for Phase One:
Transcripts from conference on governance and policy, February 8-9, 2005
Transcripts from conference on technology, March 8-9, 2005
White Paper entitled “Addressing Our Global Water Future,” September 2005
Illustrated executive summary for “Addressing Our Global Water Future”
Global Water Futures website
Phase Two: Developing an Integrated Framework for U.S. Response
Through the second phase of the Global Water Futures initiative, the CSIS Global Strategy Institute seeks to contribute to the development of a policy vision for the United States with a project aimed at assessing the broader scope of the global water challenge. More specifically, in a two-year effort, it will examine changes in the water supply-demand calculus in several representative countries across the world and then explore options regarding U.S. international water policy in each of these areas. The case study countries will be chosen to encompass a range of water-related challenges and will exhibit diversity in their strategic importance to the United States. The scope of the selection will include five key regions of the world: the Middle East (Turkey), sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria or Botswana), East Asia (China), South Asia (India), and Latin America (Brazil or Mexico).
On the basis of these assessments, and building on previous work, our overarching goal is to create a framework for future U.S. international water policy. Briefly stated, the initiative will define the root causes of water challenges in the sample countries, identify the appropriate complementary set of policy and technology approaches, and identify broader conclusions related to a U.S. approach to global water challenges.
Global Water Futures Website
The Global Water Futures initiative maintains a website exploring the why, what, and how of global water challenges and U.S. strategic interests. The website offers a succinct yet thorough examination of international water issues, their long-term implications for U.S. policy, and options for an integrated U.S. response. To visit the website, click here.
Global Water Futures Presentation
The Global Water Futures project has created a fast-paced, multi-media presentation exploring the many dimensions of the global water challenge and outlining potential steps forward for overcoming these challenges. The Global Water Futures presentation answers two basic questions: (1) why problems of water scarcity and water quality should be a priority for leaders and policymakers worldwide; and (2) what leaders in the United States can and should be doing to address these critical issues. For more information or to schedule a briefing, please contact Rachel Posner.
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Contact Information
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Research Associate |
Rachel Posner
Send E-mail
202-775-3296
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