Better Management of Renewable Resources Can Avert a World Crisis

Abstract

Today, five billion people live in developing countries. A total of 37% of the population lives in low-income countries and more than half of them earn their livelihood from agriculture. About 16% of the world’s population is undernourished. In 35 countries, more than half of the population lives on less than $2.00 a day World Bank 2005 . About 40% of the world’s food comes from 18% of the cropland that is irrigated Postel 2005 . Unfortunately, the so-called green revolution that increased production on irrigated lands also created significant ecological disruptions. Poor water management is the problem. In the next 30 years, the world’s population is expected to grow by 2 billion. Most will live in today’s developing countries World Bank, 2002 . The world’s food production depends on maintaining and increasing the productivity of the rural population engaged in agriculture. Agricultural production requires water availability, ambient air temperatures that are conducive for photosynthesis, and good resource-management. Global warming will have a significant impact on food production. Without good water management the world will face a water crisis. Water stress is expected to increase in 60% of the world. Current practices business and water management must change. Management is the key issue UNESCO 2003 . In addition to other resources, development requires energy. Hydropower has formed the basis for major development with large benefits to the poor. Industrialized countries have developed 70% of the economically feasible hydropower potential. Developing countries have developed only about 15%. Hydro-based development is very important for the world’s poorest nations UNESCO 2003 . Costs of producing electricity including external costs in the order of lowest to highest are: wind, hydropower, natural gas, biomass, nuclear, coal, and photovoltaic. Current use of global electrical potential renewable energy is hydropower–20%, biomass–20%, solar 0.01%, wind 0.01%, geothermal–0.04%, total renewable–0.8% Sawin 2004 . Oil is not included in the above list, because an evaluation of the total cost from oil would be difficult due to the large subsidies given to electricity gener-