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and wetlands and improvement in the integrated management of catchments. It is
well-recognized that, in spite of strenuous national and international efforts, the
contamination of water bodies continues to pose a major threat to the sustainable
development of water resources and environmental security.
Economic Value of Water
The scarcity of freshwater in the global system has been recognized as a major
global concern with respect to food security but also to the well-being of humankind.
In terms of demand management, it is necessary not only to conserve water but also
to make the best of the available volume of water so as to improve the quality of
life. Water is therefore seen not only as a social good but is increasingly recognized
as having economic value. While the concept of assessing economic value to water
resources is increasingly accepted, it is recognized as a threat to social security and,
most importantly, to the basic need for universal access to drinking water, especially
for the poor, in many developing countries.
5.5.3.2 Regional Scale of Water Conflicts
Water conflicts on a regional scale may come from three main categories: differ-
ences in water resources endowment, trans-boundary pollution and disputes in the
management of international river basins. While water conflicts in the first two
categories are less common, those in the third category are more frequent.
The different levels of water resources endowment have always been the main
reason for the disparity in the distribution of population among areas of a country
or a region. People tend to settle in areas with rich water resources where urban
settlements continue to grow. Within a country, various measures, including eco-
nomic incentives and development action, can be taken to minimize the impact of
the differences in water resources endowment on the social and economic conditions
between regions, although such measures may lead to other issues in water manage-
ment. For an international region, options are usually limited and the discrepancy
in resources can easily be conceived as better opportunities for development. This
perception could lead, on the one hand, to explosive political issues, such as ille-
gal activities to make use of the rich water resources, including the diversion of
water resources or illegal fishing, and, on the other hand, to undue pressure to share
those resources by using different control measures based on monopolistic market
opportunities or transit control.
Trans-boundary pollution is becoming more and more frequent with higher levels
of development intensity. Among the prominent issues of trans-boundary pollution
are those related to acid rain caused by industrial development or the construc-
tion of major coal-fired thermal power plants. Intensive agricultural development
and different industrial waste disposal schemes may lead to severe pollution of
groundwater aquifers that extend beyond national boundaries.
With respect to the third category of conflicts on the regional scale, there are more
than 300 major river basins and a number of major groundwater aquifers across
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