Agricultural transition on the brink of crisis: Forecasting development trends in the eastern Urmia lake basin

Mortality burden declined markedly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We investigated patterns in disease burden of measles, pertussis, and diarrheal diseases in Amsterdam. We utilized the Amsterdam Cause-of-death Database, including 481,990 individual death records from 1856 to 1920, and estimated mortality burden for measles, pertussis, and diarrheal disease in years of life lost up to 20 years. We analyzed mortality trends and associations with socio-economic and demographic factors, including population size, school enrollment, and rye prices, using fractional multinomial logistic regressions. All-cause mortality burden declined from almost 8 life years lost per birth in 1856 to slightly over 2 in 1920. The mortality burden for measles and pertussis was relatively stable, but the mean age at death declined over time. The burden for diarrheal disease declined rapidly after 1885. The most promising factors to explain the changing epidemiology were the water crisis of 1887-1900, which increased diarrheal mortality burden by 3% (95% confidence interval: 1.5-4.4%), and rye prices, which increased measles mortality burden by 0.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.04-1.4%). These findings highlight the complexity of the epidemiological transition and the importance of socio-economic and demographic changes in understanding the historical patterns of infectious diseases.

ABSTRACT Learning the diverse Indigenous meanings of water governance and resiliency is critical to addressing ongoing drinking water crises in remote Indigenous communities in Canada. Many such communities continue to face long-term drinking water advisories, aging and inadequate infrastructure, contamination risks from surrounding land use, and limited jurisdiction over water decision-making. Indigenous communities hold distinct cultural and relational epistemologies of water, yet dominant resilience frameworks often overlook these perspectives, further compounding water insecurity in remote contexts. Guided by a relational theoretical framework and a community-based participatory research (CBPR) design, this study sought to understand Indigenous meanings of drinking water governance and resiliency through engagement with a rural and remote First Nation community, [the community], located in Treaty 4 territory, Saskatchewan. Data were generated through a water-sharing circle with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members, creating a respectful space for collective reflection on lived experiences, responsibilities, and relationships with water. Findings demonstrate that Indigenous traditional knowledge and practices are central to community understandings of water governance and resiliency. For participants, water resiliency is not defined solely by infrastructure or supply, but by living well with water in ways that ensure intergenerational access, uphold cultural practices, and maintain reciprocal responsibilities to the land and all living beings. These insights highlight the importance of self-determined, Indigenous-led approaches to water governance. The study underscores the limitations of current water protection strategies and offers contributions relevant to Indigenous communities, policymakers, and researchers seeking more equitable and culturally grounded responses to drinking water insecurity.

Groundwater augmentation is increasingly recognized as a critical strategy for addressing the global water crisis, particularly in regions experiencing groundwater depletion. This study aims to determine site suitability for Artificial Recharge Structures (ARS) in Hunsur taluk to support long-term groundwater sustainability. The integration of PAN (Panchromatic) and IRS-1D LISS (Linear Imaging and Self Scanning) satellite data improved the identification of suitable recharge locations using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Key groundwater recharge controlling parameters, including slope, lithology, geomorphology, land use/land cover (LULC), lineament density, soil, drainage density, and stream order were integrated to delineate potential recharge zone. The analysis identified suitable locations for 44 check dams, 16 nalah bunds, and 10 percolation tanks as site-specific remedial measures to enhance groundwater recharge, reduce surface runoff, and improve aquifer storage. These interventions are particularly recommended along moderate drainage networks, fractured zones, and gentle slope regions to maximize infiltration and recharge efficiency. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating GIS and AHP for scientifically guiding groundwater augmentation planning and implementing location-specific remedial measures for sustainable groundwater management in Hunsur taluk.

Flint fatigue: The politics of closure and fairness in the Flint Water Crisis

Environmental problems such as water scarcity plague communities globally. We lack comprehensive understanding about the public's preferences for different water policy instruments. In particular, the information environment we live in is filled with different blame attribution frames regarding these water problems. By merging blame attribution literatures to environmental issues, we ask the following question: Does blame attribution about the causes of water crises influence the public's water policy preferences? Within this theoretical framework, we explore the effects of (1) outsider blame (2) political gridlock blame (3) all stakeholders blame (4) individual resident blame. Using a factorial between-subject design with 2000 participants in three water stressed states in the southwest US, we suggest that blame frames are systematically associated with support for different types of policies and that such effects differ by personal water impact. Our findings contribute to scholarly understanding about the role of blame frames in shaping the public's environmental policy preferences.

ABSTRACT Inter-basin water transfers reproduce territorial inequality, yet their intersection with financialised governance remains undertheorised. Examining São Paulo’s 2014–2015 water crisis through the Cantareira System, this article makes three contributions: situating the system within debates on hydro-territorial extraction; reconstructing governance decisions across water-rights renegotiation cycles through an original documentary corpus; and demonstrating how Sabesp’s mixed-capital structure embedded shareholder imperatives into crisis management. Instruments such as the Risk-Aversion Curve and the Water Bank consolidated operational discretion rather than ensuring equitable allocation. The findings argue that under financialised governance, scarcity is produced rather than merely managed.

ABSTRACT Iran’s water crisis has rarely been studied from a critical perspective. This Study fills this gap by challenging dominant explanations that focus on “mismanagement,” and instead explains the crisis through concepts such as metabolic rift. Through historical analysis and the examination of emperical data, this article demonstrates how capitalist relations of production in Iranian agriculture have produced the water crisis. Starting with the 1960s land reform, as a landmark in the expansion of capitalist relations of production, this paper traces a historical trajectory that made water a raw material for capitalist accumulation, fragmented agrarian lands, restructured rural class relations, and therefore created a structural tendency for over-extraction of water. This aricle also shows how the post revolutionary state consolidated the contradictions in Iran’s agricultre through a form of passive revolution and coercive measures to nuetralize rural movements. These developments blocked the possibility of alternative relations with nature and led to the water crisis. Therefore, this paper highlights Iran’s specific metabolic rift, emphasizing the multiple forms that metabolic rifts can take worldwide.

ABSTRACT Coupling solar desalination with multi‐mechanism power generation offers a promising dual solution to water and energy crises, yet salt crystallization poses a major obstacle. Here, we present an integrated system featuring as multiple Donnan effects for salt‐resistant solar desalination and dual‐mode power generation. Leveraging the mechanisms of hydrogen bond differentials and Fe 3+ ‐tannic acid crosslinking, a ─SO 3 − ‐functionalized porous sponge evaporator (PSE‐SO 3 − ) was fabricated. Enabled by the Donnan effect of ─SO 3 − groups, the evaporator simultaneously resists salt accumulation and boosts hydrovoltaic power generation, thereby achieving a peak seawater evaporation rate of 4.19 kg m −2 h −1 under one‐sun irradiation while maintaining a salt‐free surface. Simultaneously, PSE2‐SO 3 − generated electricity via the hydrovoltaic effect, delivering outstanding power densities of 5.76/4.34 mW m −2 under one sun/dark conditions. Molecular dynamics simulations and in situ Raman spectroscopy confirmed Cl − interception and elucidated the H + ‐water interaction mechanism for power generation. Furthermore, integrating reverse electrodialysis based on the Donnan effect as an auxiliary strategy enhanced salt resistance of PSE2‐SO 3 − and delivered an osmotic power output of 0.804 W m −2 . Scale‐up of the self‐designed integrated system to an outdoor environment revealed synergistic performance outcomes, thereby establishing a pioneering demonstration platform for the efficient cogeneration of clean water and energy from seawater.

Water scarcity remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria, manifesting as recurring annual shortages that compromise both the quality and quantity of water available for domestic use in rural and urban communities. This narrative review examines the health, economic, and social implications of these shortages, with particular attention to waterborne diseases (such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea), infrastructure deficits, and rural-urban disparities. Drawing on a synthesis of recent literature, policy analyses, and reports, the study highlights how climate variability, rapid urbanization, poor governance, and infrastructural decay exacerbate vulnerabilities. Rural areas often rely on unsafe seasonal sources (such as rivers and rainwater), while urban centers face pollution, aging pipes, and over-reliance on unregulated vendors. Women and children bear a disproportionate burden through water collection, limiting education and economic opportunities and perpetuating poverty cycles. Key findings highlight implementation gaps in existing frameworks, such as the National Water Resources Policy (2004) and the Water Sector Reform Act (2016), where weak coordination, underfunding, and corruption hinder progress despite policy ambitions. The review proposes sustainable strategies, including Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), community-based governance, rainwater harvesting, climate-resilient infrastructure, and public-private partnerships. Addressing Nigeria's water crisis demands a holistic approach integrating technological innovation, policy enforcement, and community participation to ensure equitable access to safe water, reduce disease burden, and support broader development goals.

Climate change and the ongoing water crisis necessitate the adoption of efficient agricultural production systems that are adapted to arid and semi-arid regions. Insisting on cultivating water-intensive products, especially cucumber, in areas facing severe water shortages has led to environmental and ecological challenges. Therefore, moving towards water-resistant species and encouraging and informing farmers are imperative to fulfill the sustainable agriculture goals. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the environmental and economic burdens of cucumber compared to Opuntia ficus-indica cultivation, a drought-tolerant plant, in an arid region of eastern Iran. The life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed on a functional unit of one ton of product, encompassing every stage from greenhouse construction through to harvest. The cost analysis was also carried out over a 25-year cultivation horizon. The results indicated that cucumber cultivation had 1.8 to 8.3 times higher environmental impacts across nearly all impact categories due to intensive operational inputs. Cucumber showed 4.5 times higher CO₂ emissions (2443kg CO2 eq) and over 8 times more water demand (95.42 m3) than O. ficus-indica. For the cucumber, the operational phase was dominated by diesel and electricity consumption, which influenced global warming (90.8%), ozone formation (88.5%), and ecotoxicity potential (59-78%). Both crops showed significant impacts during the greenhouse construction phase (> 95% contribution), linked mainly to materials such as concrete and cables. The integrated analysis confirmed that the cultivation of O. ficus-indica reduced total environmental impacts by 75% compared to cucumber. Although the economic analysis highlighted a higher internal rate of return (21.49%) and a shorter payback period (6.44 years) for cucumber, its cultivation was not economically justifiable due to the nearly 10 times higher water and fuel consumption. This study suggests O. ficus-indica cultivation as a sustainable low-input alternative with a more balanced footprint in water-scarce and climate-sensitive regions.

Lebanon's energy and water crises, which include electrical shortages, comparatively high electricity prices, and water scarcity, are significant challenges. This study investigates the techno-economic and structural feasibility of a rooftop Photovoltaic (PV) and Rainwater (RW) collection system for a residential building in Beirut, considering the water and electricity crises. Accordingly, the feasibility of a 14.4 kW grid-connected PV system with and without battery storage was determined under average and extreme rainfall conditions. Structural feasibility showed a 35-degree angle of inclination, along with a relatively higher Factor of Safety (FOS) and lower weight, while the mechanical properties of galvanized steel and e-glass fiber were similar. The results demonstrate that Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) potential varied between 198 m³ in the average rainfall scenario and 1,558 m³ in the Maximum (Max.) rainfall case, constituting a valuable supplemental water supply. Additionally, the results indicate that the annual PV production was always considerably higher than demand, yielding substantial surplus energy, while around 60% of consumption falls at night, supporting the integration of modest battery storage. An economic evaluation showed a Levelized Energy Cost (LEC) of 0.244–0.271 USD/kWh for grid-connected operation with batteries, which yields favorable payback periods and strong life-cycle savings, even under Beirut's moderate solar irradiation. Consequently, this PV-RWH system is a dependable, financially feasible, and ecologically beneficial system for Lebanon that helps mitigate the shortages of electricity and water resources while promoting sustainable management.

ABSTRACT Certain institutions, mechanisms and processes preserve the coherence of international water law, despite its proliferation and the diversity of its sources, within a unitary system of international law. These include the universalist instincts of international courts, routine legal codification, the integrative role of general principles, and the universal character of increasingly relevant human rights norms. ‘Convergence’ unifies and enriches modern international water law some 60 years after first being codified, assisting it in addressing challenges posed by the looming global water crisis through the gradual interpenetration and cross-fertilization of previously somewhat compartmentalized areas of international law.

Atmospheric water (AW) is currently recognized as a promising solution to mitigate the global water crisis. Nevertheless, its harvesting techniques should balance three main aspects: energy consumption, yield, and the quality of produced water. Water quality is of the utmost importance, because the potential uses of atmospheric water-and therefore its value-ultimately depend on this characteristic. Currently, existing indices and indicators intended as evaluation tools for different harvesting techniques generally focus on the first two aspects only, overlooking the quality perspective, with the risk of overestimating the performance of systems that require less energy but provide low-quality water. This study fills this knowledge gap by proposing a new evaluation tool, the Atmospheric Water Energy-Quality Index (AWEQI). This index links the energy evaluation of an Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG)-a term referring to all active, passive, or hybrid systems for atmospheric water collection-to the quality of the produced water. The index is constructed through an appropriate reformulation and combination of the Water Energy Transformation (WET) indicator and the Water Quality Index (WQI) to obtain a monotonic function whose values increase with improved performance, both in terms of energy efficiency and water quality. Moreover, based on a literature review, the study presents an analysis of potential AW contaminants and their sources, and proposes two parameter sets to be considered in the WQI calculation.

As Texas faces unprecedented population growth and intensifying climate challenges, the state is grappling with a growing water crisis. With the population projected to increase by over 70% in the next 50 years while existing water supplies decline by nearly 18%, the need for sustainable water solutions has never been more critical. Among the proposed strategies, reservoir construction stands out as a key component, offering large-scale, renewable water supplies to meet increasing demands. However, this solution is fraught with legal, environmental, and financial complexities. This Comment explores these challenges through a detailed analysis of two proposed North Texas reservoirs: Lake Ringgold and Marvin Nichols. These projects exemplify the promise and pitfalls of large-scale water infrastructure. While these reservoirs could collectively supply millions of acre-feet of water annually, their construction would require significant financial investment, potential use of eminent domain, and the flooding of thousands of acres of private and ecologically sensitive lands. Local communities and environmental groups have fiercely opposed these projects, citing concerns over displacement, habitat destruction, and cultural loss. This Comment underscores the delicate balance Texas must strike between securing its water future and preserving its environmental, cultural, and property rights. As the state navigates this critical juncture, innovative strategies and careful planning will be essential to address the dual imperatives of water security and sustainability. In examining the intricate permitting processes required at both state and federal levels—highlighting delays and regulatory obstacles that often span decades—this Comment ultimately determines that Texas should assume administration of the federal Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting program—a move that could streamline reservoir development while consolidating oversight within the state. Furthermore, with the federal government increasingly returning power to the states, state assumption is more viable and realistic than ever, making it an opportune time for Texas to take control and implement more efficient, locally tailored solutions to meet its water needs.

Cysteine functionalised cross-linked network of Bombax Ceiba gum and glycidyl methacrylate derived adsorbent for the removal of cationic dyes.

Islands often suffer from relatively limited freshwater resources, and the effective utilization and distribution of water resources are a key issues for the sustainable development of island-based economies and societies. While island water security has been widely discussed, few studies trace the socio-technical construction of island water-supply systems across the stages of planning, construction, and operation. Integrating Actor-Network Theory with political ecology, this study investigates the water-supply infrastructure of Kinmen. Drawing on official archives, participant observation, and in-depth interviews, this research analyzes the collective actions mobilized to address Kinmen’s water scarcity following the lifting of martial law in 1992. These efforts jointly reshaped both water-supply practices and the infrastructural network. Over the past three decades, Kinmen’s water-supply system has transformed into a sophisticated technological network, integrating reservoirs, desalination plants, and advanced sewage infrastructure. The introduction of these technologies, which function as critical non-human actors within the system, marks a clear shift in how water is managed and distributed. However, the rapid expansion of water-intensive industries, especially tourism, liquor distilling, and cattle farming, has outpaced local ecological limits, precipitating the current water crisis. The study concludes that this shortage has been mitigated through the strategic integration of water sources, most notably the cross-strait pipeline from mainland China, which now provides more than 80 percent of the island’s water. This transition marks a profound shift in the island’s socio-technical and geopolitical network.

The escalating global water crisis demands innovative and sustainable remediation strategies. Biomass valorisation has emerged as a promising route, converting lignocellulosic residues into functional materials for contaminant removal, offering benefits such as cost-effectiveness, reduced waste, and the utilization of renewable resources. However, most existing studies treat material modification and regeneration independently, limiting the long-term sustainability and economic viability of biomass-based adsorbents. This review integrates these two perspectives by examining circular approaches to biomass valorisation for water remediation. It synthesizes recent advances in chemical, physical, and biological modification techniques, such as activation, functionalization, and composite formation, that enhance sorption efficiency and selectivity. Equal emphasis is placed on regeneration pathways, including thermal, chemical, and biological methods, which enable the recovery, reuse, and recycling of spent biosorbents. By bridging modification innovations and regeneration strategies, this review highlights opportunities to reduce waste generation, improve resource efficiency, and enhance the environmental performance of water treatment systems. The synthesis provides a framework for designing next-generation circular materials and identifies research priorities for achieving closed-loop, scalable biomass valorisation in sustainable water remediation.

To address the global water crisis, developing efficient and sustainable seawater desalination technologies is of critical importance. Recently, hydrogel-based desalination has attracted increasing attention owing to its excellent water absorption capacity and stimulus-responsive properties. However, traditional dewatering methods often suffer from low efficiency and poor operational stability, hindering their practical application. In this study, an ammonia-responsive graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)-enhanced composite hydrogel was developed to achieve a high water production rate, effective salt removal, and strong operational stability. The system demonstrated a maximum water production rate of 1095 LH2O/kghydrogel/day and a stable salt removal rate of 71–77%. These superior performances, markedly surpassing those of unmodified hydrogels, are attributed to the synergistic modulation of the hydrogel’s microscopic network structure and surface electrostatic properties by GNPs. Furthermore, the composite hydrogel exhibited excellent durability over 100 consecutive swelling–dewatering cycles without noticeable deterioration in performance. This work offers a promising strategy for designing efficient and durable hydrogel materials, holding great potential for practical desalination applications.

Developing new technology in membrane desalination is crucial for addressing the global water crisis. Reverse osmosis (RO) membranes exhibit numerous advantages, such as high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, environmental sustainability, etc. In this work, we observe an abnormal RO phenomenon for the first time in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers under the stimuli of terahertz (THz) waves. Our RO model contains two DPPC bilayers that divide the saline and aqueous solutions. Surprisingly, under specific field strength and frequency, we observe considerable net water flow from the saline solution chamber, crossing the bilayers, to the aqueous solution chamber, which suggests a new RO phenomenon in a highly controllable fashion. The mechanism for this abnormal RO process is that in THz waves, some ions can strip off their hydration shells and directly adsorb onto the lipid heads, resulting in local aggregation of head groups. This creates large gaps between some lipids and loose membrane structures in the saline solution region, breaking the structural symmetry in bilayers that facilitates the RO permeation. The reduced potential of mean force (PMF) barriers, ion hydration number, ion density behavior, and membrane structure strongly support our explanation of the RO mechanism. Our findings shed light on a complete new mechanism of RO for biological membranes, and breaking the membrane structural symmetry provides a potential new pathway for the design of RO membranes.