Investing Strategies for Alternative Global Markets (Collection)

7. Water: Who Has It, and Who Doesn’t

“All the water that will ever be is, right now.”—National Geographic, October 1993

“Between earth and earth’s atmosphere, the amount of water remains constant; there is never a drop more, never a drop less.

“This is a story of circular infinity, of a planet birthing itself.”—Linda Hogan, Northern Lights, Autumn 1990

Before we address the issue of which regions and nations have the most affordable and accessible water resources, let’s take a look at what the entire world must divvy up. The information comes from Water in Crisis: A Guide to the World’s Fresh Water Resources (Oxford University Press, 1993), in the chapter “World Fresh Water Resources.”

Although more than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered ...