Globalization of Water is a first-of-its-kind review of the critical relationship between globalization and sustainable water management. It explores the impact of international trade on local water depletion and pollution and identifies "water dependent" nations.
List of MapsPreface1. Introduction2. How much Water is used for Producing our Goods and Services?3. Virtual-Water Flows between Nations as a Result of Trade in Agricultural and Industrial Products 4. Water Saving through International Trade in Agricultural Products5. The Water Footprints of Nations6. The Water Footprints of Morocco and the Netherlands7. Virtual- versus Real-Water Transfers within China8. The Water Footprint of Coffee and Tea Consumption9. The Water Footprint of Cotton Consumption10. Water as a Geopolitical Resource11. Efficient, Sustainable, and Equitable Water Use in a Globalized worldAppendix I. Analytical Framework for the Assessment of Virtual-Water content, Virtual-Water Flows, Water Savings, Water Footprints, and Water DependenciesAppendix II. Virtual-Water Flows per Country Related to International Trade in Crop, Livestock, and Industrial ProductsAppendix III. National Water Savings and Losses due to Trade in Agricultural ProductsAppendix IV. Water Footprints of NationsAppendix V. Water Footprint versus Water Scarcity, Self-Sufficiency, and Water Import Dependency per CountryGlossaryReferencesIndex
Arjen Y. Hoekstra has academic and professional experience in the field of integrated water resources management in various countries and is currently Professor of Multidisciplinary Water Management at the University of Twente, the Netherlands. Ashok K. Chapagain has been an irrigation engineer in Nepal, received his PhD degree at the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in Delft, the Netherlands, was employed as researcher at the University of Twente, and currently works for the World Wide Fund for Nature in the UK.
This book is a technical research report, , and gives another important strand of firm evidence to support the case for switching to vegan lifestyles. (Vegan, 1 December 2010) “Heightened concern about global climate change makes this book timely and of interest to many readers." (Choice Reviews, May 2009) "[This book] is an authorative and stimulating book to read. Its main contribution is the excellent use of case studies to illustrate the well-articulated theoretical background of virtual water and its global implications... A though-provoking book." (South African Geographical Journal, 2008) “The authors propose to reverse the logic of production volumes to consumption volumes. This approach entirely changes all conclusions concerning water stress in the world, dependencies on other countries, and responsibility for water scarcity. This detailed study gives new insights into these mechanisms, leading to a more realistic picture of a country's water needs. The book contains extensive and detailed tables, with all the data required for an in depth evaluation. The book concludes with some important remarks on fairness, sustainability, responsibility, and price-setting." (Water Environment and Technology Magazine, December 2008)