Water, Place, and Equity

by Whiteley, John M.; Ingram, Helen; Perry, Richard Warren

• ISBN13: 9780262232715
• ISBN10: 0262232715
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-10-31
• Publisher: Mit Pr

Summary

Many predict that by the end of this century water will dominate world natural resources politics as oil does today. Access to water is widely regarded as a basic human right and was declared so by the United Nations in 1992. And yet the water crisis grows: although the total volume of water on the planet may be sufficient for our needs, much of it is misallocated, wasted, or polluted, and the poorest of the poor live in arid areas where water is scarce. The coming decade will require new perspectives on water resources and reconsideration of the principles of water governance and policy. Water, Place, and Equityargues that fairness in the allocation of water will be a cornerstone to a more equitable and secure future for humankind. With analyses and case studies, it demonstrates that considerations of equity are more important in formulating and evaluating water policy than the more commonly invoked notions of efficiency and markets. The case studies through which the book explores issues of water equity range from cost and benefit disparities that result from Southern California's storm water runoff policies to the privatization of water in Bolivia. In the final chapter, Water, Place, and Equityconsiders broader concerns-the impact of global climate change on water resources and better ways to incorporate equity into future water policy. Contributors: Thomas Clay Arnold, Madeline Baer, Amy Below, David Feldman, Paul W. Hirt, Helen Ingram, Sheldon Kamieniecki, Maria Carmen Lemos, Stephen P. Mumme, Richard Warren Perry, Ismael Vaccaro, John M. Whiteley, Margaret Wilder.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
The Importance of Equity and the Limits of Efficiency in Water Resources	p. 1
Water, Place, and Equity	p. 33
The San Luis Valley and the Moral Economy of Water	p. 37
Ethical Issues in Storm Water Policy Implementation	p. 69
Disparities in Financial Burdens and Overall Benefits
Equity and Water in Mexico's Changing Institutional Landscape	p. 95
From Equitable Utilization to Sustainable Development	p. 117
Advancing Equity in U.S.-Mexico Border Water Management
Developing a Plentiful Resource	p. 147
Transboundary Rivers in the Pacific Northwest
Civic Engagement and Governance	p. 189
The Global Water Crisis, Privatization, and the Bolivian Water War	p. 195
Modernizing Mountain Water	p. 225
State, Industry, and Territory
Whose Water Is It Anyway?	p. 249
Water Management, Knowledge, and Equity in Northeast Brazil
Water and Equity in a Changing Climate	p. 271
List of Contributors	p. 309
Index	p. 313
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