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… a waterfall rushing over a cliff, or a calm and sleepy lake, or a river slipping
down the slopes, imprisoned by its banks?
What could be easier for us than turning on a tap, more normal than drawing
on this everyday godsend as much as we need?
But our planet is the only one in the solar system where water is found. And
yet water is carelessly and extravagantly exploited; it is increasingly polluted,
making the production of drinking water ever more complex and expensive.
Abounding in natural goodness, present since the Earth itself was made,
perpetually flowing, indispensable for life to flourish and for ecosystems to
be maintained, and necessary for countless human activities, water is
essential to the survival and development of humanity.
But intensive exploitation, the increasing pollution of reserves, the growing
demands of a booming world population, the chronic shortages endured
by some countries and the careless management of others provoke questions:
what is to happen to this scarce resource? How can it best be preserved?
How likely is a global shortage?
Could a shortage of water lead to international conflicts?
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