The water atlas / Robin Clarke and Jannet King.

The water atlas / Robin Clarke and Jannet King.

1565849183 (hc.)
9781565849181 (hc.)
1565849078 (pbk.)
9781565849075 (pbk.)

New York : New Press : Distributed by W.W. Norton, 2004.

English

127 pages : color illustrations, maps (chiefly color) ; 26 cm

GB671 .C54 2004

333.91

Water, water everywhere? Yes, but as the authors of this atlas graphically demonstrate, even in water-rich areas of the world, clean water is a finite resource.
And for one billion people one-sixth of the world s population fresh,clean water is virtually unavailable.
Plentiful maps, graphs and tables illustrate the cycle of precipitation and condensation, the percentage of cropland watered by irrigation around the world and the way increasing use of chemicals in agriculture is destroying freshwater sources.
A section called "Re-Shaping the Natural World" examines the destructive role of dams and other watersystems, while another section looks at the potential for international conflict over scarce water resources in regions such as the already volatile Middle East.
But, looking to the future, the authors (Clarke is an editor for theWorld Meteorological Organization and King has worked on many environmental atlases) don't see privatization and the market as offering more equitable water distribution.
Water is a human right, not a commodity, they argue; they recommend "integrated water management and public participation" as the keys to solving the world's water problems.
This concise atlas is a useful guide for students or anyone who wants to visualize the world's water supplies and their use and abuse.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 115-123) and index.

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